clovers

chapter 16| Hibi

As I took a step on the ground floor, blood was immediately splattered on the tip of my shoe. I see this place is just how I left it.

There was a brawl happening in the middle but instead of watching the show, the crowd around it were also engaging in mini fights of their own. I stepped over a limp hand on the ground next to the stairs. I didn't think much of it as random bodies were usually thrown around this place but as my eyes followed the arm I was slightly sickened to find that the limb was in fact connected to nothing.

The conditions of the whole place were in tatters as the walls crumbled, looking seconds away from collapsing, blood coated the walls leaving more red than white paint. The air was thick, smelling of nothing but sweat and stupidity as these people fought their lives away.

I thought this place would've been in shambles by now but deep down I knew that even when the walls eventually caved in, the place would be held up by regret, guilt and countless dead bodies.

As I manoeuvred through the chaos, I nodded my head as I recognized a few faces. They were all coated in anger and practically beaten in of course but I still managed to recognize a few faces in the crowd, confirming my thoughts.

Some people had not left here in years.

"Hibi!"

My head snapped to whoever was calling my name. I felt my face soften a bit as I caught sight of Navine but my guard went up as I noticed the glint in his eye. His stance was friendly but the smile on his face was anything but.

Who was I kidding?

Navine was anything but friendly. He saw me when I was at the worst point in my life and dragged me here to 'help' me. He profited millions off of my spilt blood but at the time I didn't care, I just wanted to get out all my anger.

And that's how I wasted 3 months of my life beating up people who never stood a chance against me.

I walked over to him, shooting him a fake smile. "Hey Navine"

"Hey, kid!" He clasped one of his hands on my shoulder "I see you've grown up nicely" His eyes ran over my figure making my skin crawl and bile shoot up my throat.

Creep.

"Are you back?" I opened my mouth to say no but he beat me to it "Of course you are, I told you you'd be back" I gritted my teeth at the smug look on his face.

"Actually no I'm not" I pulled my lips up in a sickly sweet smile "I was just passing through" Liar.

As if he could smell the lies on my tongue he smiled back at me too, with something sinister hidden behind his eyes "How about one more round?" He looked at the ring that was falling to pieces and I found my eyes staring longingly at the ring with him "You used to go through people like a lawnmower Hibiscus".

I winced at the memory of me once holding someone's spine and beating them with it.

"We used to make so much money here" That you stole "You had a name in this place, a status! you were feared, you were something" He tucked a stray piece of my hair behind my ear and got in close to whisper in it, he was so close I could practically taste the alcohol and greediness on his breath "You were somebody".

A queezy feeling bubbled at the back of my throat but I swallowed it and shrugged him off my shoulders "I guess I'm nobody then" I gathered up my dignity and gave myself a pat on the back at my self-restraint.

I turned on my heel and moved to leave. Coming here was a mistake, let me go admit to Cas that I'm a bitch for this place so he can laugh at me and we can fucking leave.

I was stopped by a hand on my wrist. My eyes immediately dropped to the person attached to it "Let go of my arm before you lose yours" Navine gulped but instead of complying he held my wrist tighter with determination in his eyes.

"Look" I narrowed my eyes at him "How about one round, just for old times sake?" He said in almost a begging tone, it was pathetic "I'll get a good fighter down here to go up against you, a real challenge eh? And if you win you walk away with a hefty amount of cash underneath your belt" I could see desire dance in his eyes at the mention of money.

"And if I lose?" I bit back harshly. Even though I knew my pride and inner bloodlust would never allow that.

Navine didn't look that convinced that I was possible of failure but he still managed to pull his lips back in a sheepish, weak smile "I guess you win some and you lose some" He outstretched his arm and cocked an eyebrow up at me "Whatdyou' say?" I looked down at his greedy dirty palms before sighing.

Just one round Hibi. One. Then you can bury this place in your memories as nothing but a building that you beat.

I glanced back at the tattered staircase that was staring at me. Cas undoubtedly at the top of it waiting for me to get back as he was socially awkward and knew absolutely nothing about this kingdom.

I'm sorry Pops.

"Fine"

His eyes immediately lit up with satisfaction and he snapped his fingers, a scrawny boy immediately came to his side, nearly tripping over his feet to run up to us. "Boy, Call Kallen for us, tell him I've got a worthy opponent here for him to fight." The boy nodded sheepishly and scurried off.

I'd feel sorry for the boy but I recognized the look in his eye. The power-hungry greedy look that every person down here shared. He's too far gone for saving. I snorted. Then again, so was I.

And look where it brought you. Right back where you started. A dark voice whispered in my ear.

I waved it off. How much harm can one fight do?

I took off my jacket and manoeuvred through the crowd. Navine leading me, with a certain bounce in his step. I ignored it and got into the ring that was immediately cleared out as per Navine's request.

"Good evening ladies and Gentlemen" I chuckled at the dazed looks of people in the crowd, these were not human beings "Tonight I have a special fight for you! On one side of the ring, we have The undefeated Pink Hibiscus!" I ignored the stares of the people below judging me.

Some of them probably haven't tasted clean water in months.

"And on the other, we have The Beast" A large man entered the ring and even I was taken back by his size. He easily towered over me, with muscles the size of my head. Tattoos ran across one arm and ended on the other leg. He was impressive.

But there's no way he became like that without some sort of drug.

"So this is what you brought me Navine" He spat out "A little girl? Seriously? Is that what you take me for?" I raised an eyebrow at his confidence. Arrogance and Ignorance. At first, I was sceptical on whether I should fight him but hearing him talk down on me sparked up something I had locked away a long time ago.

I leaned back into the ropes "What, are you afraid you're going to be beaten by a 'little girl'?" Anger darkened his features and he immediately took a rageful but sloppy fighting stance.

"I'm going to tear you limb from limb" A smirk perked up on my lips.

"I'd like to see you try"

Thirty minutes.

It took thirty minutes to have this guy trying to crawl away from me in the ring. He whimpered a little and I stood far away from him on the other side of the ring, barely a scratch. Well, I was covered in blood, but most, in fact, all of it didn't belong to me.

"Get me out of here man, she won already okay? SHE WON" I cackled at his pleading. His head snapped to me in fear. His face was barely recognizable, the thought of this being the same face that taunted me and tried to make me feel inferior only fueled me more.

"C'mon little girl, stand up" I taunted him, waving the ponytail that was once attached to his head in front of his face. I wiped the blood off of my lips and shot him a smirk. My hair was now all over my face as my hair tie was lost somewhere in the middle of our match.

I felt crazed. And electric. I could feel every muscle beneath my skin pulsing and moving, burning in a bittersweet pain. I can't believe I ever let this feeling go.

"Stand up and show me how beastly you are".