Rival of Fire

I stood there, unable to process what had just happened, the bell still ringing. I quickly woke up and rushed downstairs, past the massive tree in the courtyard, and into the central building. Sweat was now pouring down my face as I walked through the building. The offices of all the counselors were filled, and as I walked past them I could see them look up at me before immediately turning away.

Well, It's kinda what I expect from most of the staff here, I mean, most of them are from Saliston, growing up that rich could make anyone into a Freddy. That was most of their reactions, up until I walked past the head counselor's office. Who I saw inside shocked me, it was that creepy woman, even though I walked past her office for only a moment, I could tell. The long flowing coat and hair, and when I was just about to pass her office, she looked up at me. Her eyes are so eerie like she can see my entirety, it's an unexplainable feeling.

I arrived at the north field, where I found out my class was doing sparring sessions so the teacher could gauge our strength and spirits. The air on the field was mild, and the weather was just a bit hotter than it had been days previous. I went over to talk with the teacher but was quickly distracted when I heard someone start shouting.

"Rias, I challenge you to a fight!" A short kid with brown hair, wearing a green sweater and gray pants said after I finished talking with the teacher.

"No, Duncan, I wish not to indulge in your challenge, I'm going to relax a bit, as no one here is powerful enough to make me accept their challenge." The taller, much more muscular guy he was talking with said, his long red hair going down to his waist.

"Oh shut up! You think you're so strong, but you've never beaten me, and that makes me your greatest rival!" The kid replied.

"I've never beaten you because I refrain from harming people that are inferior." The bigger guy said.

Inferior? Is he some Saliston asshole? Just thinking he's greater than everyone? Like no one from anywhere else could match him? What a dick, I could destroy him, easily.

"So Fubuki, what I was saying is that you need to find someone to spar with for today." The teacher caught my attention, though I could still hear their conversation in the background.

"Oh, yeah, I think I'm gonna fight that dude." I looked over at the red-haired guy.

"That's Rias Keriata, if you think you can beat him, well, you'd just be insane." The teacher's Eastern Yuki accent really pisses me off. Who does he think he is? I can't beat that dude? Let's just see.

Rias continued arguing with the little guy and didn't even notice me walk up to him.

"Hey!" I got in his face.

"Yes? What is it that you require?" Rias looked down on me, literally, he's like a few inches taller than me.

"We're fighting, now," I stared at him deadpan.

"You are that Fubuki person that everyone's been mentioning to me, from what I hear you actually are a capable combatant, though I don't believe that you could match me in a fight." something about his voice and tone just pisses me off, especially since he's downplaying me.

"Fine then, don't believe it." I smashed his stomach, sending him back a bit.

"That was much power than I thought you had at your disposal, fine then, I guess you shall do." he sighed before taking off his expensive jacket and throwing it on the ground, revealing his black shirt and gold necklace.

It didn't even feel like a second went by before he was in front of me. He began attacking me with a flurry of punches that I couldn't block. He ended it with a final hit that sent me back a bit. This guy is way stronger than I thought he would be, I think I need an amp.

"Second Frost." The area surrounding us was turned into an atmosphere of winter, which made me faster.

He ran in and tried punching my head, but I narrowly avoided it and turned around to punch him in the back. He landed on the ground and created a small impact crater. Before he got up I created 30 icicles in the air above us as a precaution using water from some puddles nearby us.

"Maybe you do have some power to you, but I don't think you are quite as powerful as I am." He said.

"What makes you say that?" I held my stance.

"This, Scorch." My Frost ability was overwhelmed completely as the temperature spiked, the heat filled the air, so hot my head started spinning.

It didn't seem to make him faster, so what is it? He started walking towards me, it's too hot to run, I'm just going to block it. He punched my gut, and the impact was so intense I fell to the ground, it had done damage all over my body, and I couldn't even stand. He tried picking me up, but I shot some of the icicles above, and I had to pump them with more energy so they wouldn't melt.

Right as the icicle was about to hit him, he jumped away, but before it hit me I disapparated it.

"Damn this heat! Third Frost!" My third frost ability, was just able to overpower his scorch, and give me the advantage, though I have no idea what else he has.

I got under him and grabbed his leg, I threw him into a wall nearby, the sound of the impact erupting through the air, causing everyone to look at us. I jumped onto the wall, crashing my feet through it so I could stand in it. He tried getting up from the hole but I grabbed his shirt and threw him in the air.

He turned around and tried firing some flame ability at me, but before he could I slammed him downwards. The impact created a shockwave that pierced my ear. I fell to the ground and sat a few feet away. The air had become much colder than when we started, everyone watched in anticipation as Rias stood up.

The scratches along his body showed, and he was bleeding a fair bit, but overall he could still fight. As I watched him walk a few steps towards me, I had a feeling of impending doom coming over me.

"Ember." Small bits of flame shot from his finger and went all over our arena, I watched them carefully.

"What's this?" I muttered.

"Spark," The little flames that had been stable, were now buzzing all around in their own little areas.

"The hell?" I became wary and tried outrunning them, but they kept forming around me perfectly, and I stood firm.

"Ignite." The sparks all exploded, destroying the arena around me.

Rubble from the stone battleground was all around me, I laid out on the ground bleeding profusely. I could see through my blurred vision him walking towards me, and far in the back I noticed several people. Were they, cheering? Some seemed to be in shock, while others seemed like they wanted to see more.

"All that and no final show? No grand power that would allow you to triumph?" He sighed, "I expected more of you, Fubuki." He walked away, taking his jacket before leaving.

No, come back! I'm going to win! You asshole! I will not accept, my defeat.

My thoughts started running quieter and quieter, I just wasn't good enough, I couldn't move at all, and none of my abilities could even affect him. His weakest environment ability was on par with my most powerful one. Damn it, I can't lose again, never again.

I passed out, only waking up in the school's infirmary, they said the coach brought me there himself. I got out of bed, my clothes being changed from what I was wearing to a standard hospital gown. I looked over my body and I was nearly fully recovered. I walked out and headed toward the east building.

On the way there I began coughing, as I went up the stairs it got so bad I needed to sit down to let it pass. By the time I reached my dorm, I was coughing a bit of blood from it. I opened the door to see Henry and Kasago standing there contemplating.

Henry turned around, "Fubuki!" He ran towards me.

"Hey, what's up?" I slowly got over to my bed and sat down.

"What's up? You were in the infirmary for 2 days! It's the weekend now!" Henry yelled.

"2 days? Did he beat me that badly? 2 days?" I repeated over and over while looking down at my hands.

2 days? I was really out for 2 days? He was really that much better? It wasn't just some rich kid, it was some powerful rich kid. I can't, I need to prove him wrong, he didn't expect more, he just didn't see everything, I'll prove him wrong.

"Fubuki! What are you going on about? Tell me what the hell you were thinking?" Henry questioned me.

"I don't know, I just wanted to win!" I pressed my hand to my head.

"Yeah? Well, you know what I heard? I also heard you were asking about Champions Day." Henry got angrier.

"The hell is Champions Day?" I looked up, my hand covering my eye.

"The event where you fight the great beast under the school?" He looked at me waiting.

"Oh, that thing? They call it Champions Day? That's, so dumb." I moved my hand.

"You cannot fight that great beast, you can't even beat Rias, and there's no way Rias could beat it." Henry stood firmly.

"It's fine, I'm fine, I just need to." I passed out again.

No, I'm just weaker than him, Rias Keriata. I can't believe this, the second time I've fought someone here, and I've lost? No, I can get better, I will get better than him.