Chapter 20. Hard choice

"Alexander St.Rio, Green Team, versus Rita Samara, Gray Team. Begin!"

Those were the words Alex had been expecting – and dreading! – all day, ever since he learned that Rita was to become his opponent. He just couldn't accept this… why her, of all the hybrids on Ceres?!

He wasn't afraid of that exam, unlike many of his classmates. He'd been looking forward to it. To Alex, it was a way to prove himself and the others that he was where he belonged. And then he was told he'd have to fight her…

Teacher Rokko tried to explain them the standards the computer used to find perfect matches. It wasn't about the power only. The machine also considered the history of communication between the future rivals. If they conflicted a lot, their chances of meeting in a duel grew, but it was the same for good friends too, so they could prove that their mission was more important to them than their personal sympathies.

That sounded simple in theory, while the reality turned out to be unbearable. Alex couldn't imagine he'd have to go through this!

When the duel started, Rita attacked him confidently and smartly. Her respect for his battle qualities was clear, and she was careful in her strategy. Alex had barely managed to avoid her blow – if he didn't, he would've ended up with a couple of broken ribs.

He wanted to copy her attitude, her behavior, but he just couldn't. His heart was objecting the idea of hurting her! When he tried to attack her, his muscles were stiff and weak. He didn't want this, but he felt like his whole body was against him.

He should've just accepted the defeat. She took his breath away every time he looked at her. When he tried thinking about marring her perfect skin with blood and bruises, he felt sick. But… he couldn't give up. He didn't come to this planet to feel or fall in love. If he chose to become a hybrid, he had to stick to that decision. There was no excuse for his weakness.

Getting caught up in his thoughts, he missed the moment when Rita got too close, and he paid for it. She hit him in the stomach with her knee, then added a blow to his neck with a side of her palm. She knocked all air out of him, and he was blinded by a flash of pain, but he had enough energy left to fight back. That forced her to retreat, giving him a much-needed pause.

"What's wrong with you, St. Rio?" she fumed. "You're considered the best in your team, but… Honestly, even my little sister could beat you now!"

That was his problem – that he wasn't facing Olivia or anyone else, he was facing Rita! Alex suspected that even fighting Karajo would've been easier. But his current opponent had no idea of the effect she had on him.

"I thought you were better than that," she said quietly. "Don't disappoint me. Surrender, or fight me with your full force!"

It was easy for her to say! Alex knew he could win if he tried really hard. But what would she feel then? She'd always believed she was a better warrior than her sister. What would happen if she lost in the first round, while Olivia went further?

"Stop thinking about it!" Alex told himself. "Think about what happens to you if you lose in the round one! She's not Rita now and you're not Alex. You're a Green Team hybrid and a Gray Team hybrid. That's all that matters."

That thought made things easier. Although he knew Rita wouldn't forgive him… wouldn't even let him approach her anymore! He was so happy on the night she agreed to dance with him! Or when they fought those mutants together... She was better than he had imagined, he wanted to be by her side.

He had to forget about it. Not talking to her again, watching from afar without a chance to take her hand and her cold eyes – that was the price of his victory today. Octavia warned them that becoming a hybrid required sacrifice. Alex had finally understood what she had meant.

His new confidence showed in his movements. His strategy was offensive now, and Rita had to use all her power to remain on her feet.

"That's more like it!" she commented. "I don't need your pity. If you want to fight me – make it real!"

What he felt for her wasn't pity to begin with. Even now, with his mind made up, it was still hard to win. She was a powerful rival, deserving nothing but respect. Both of them had to balance between attacks and defense, and the amount of energy they had left was roughly the same…

However, there was one advantage he had over her after all. He remembered that Rita taught her sister to fight, and he watched Olivia's battle today. That allowed him to predict some of his opponent's movements. He was ashamed for using it against her, but it wasn't his fault that the sisters opened their trump cards so easily. They were taught to use all the data they had in a fight, and that was precisely what Alex was doing.

The end came when Rita tried to copy her sister's move with balancing on her hands. It was a very specific move, most likely created by Rita herself, and he recognized it at once.

Her speed was inhuman, but he still outdone her. Alex caught her leg in the air and pulled her to the side, throwing her into the pit that was left on the field after the duel of Iutah and Light. She ended up right in the middle of it, and he didn't give her any time to catch her breath.

Alex hit the edge of the pit with his full strength, making the soil collapse under his hands. It covered Rita in an avalanche, basically burying her there.

She dug her way out. Rita was strong enough to break through the layer of soil above her head – Alex had no doubt about it, or else he'd never try such a dangerous move. But when she climbed out of the pit, she was totally exhausted, covered in dirt and coughing from the dust that filled her lungs.

She was in no condition to continue the fight, everyone saw that. Lady Laura's calm voice sounded some seconds later.

"The fight is over, Alexander won. Rita may receive medical assistance if she feels like it.��

That had to be the moment of his triumph – but it became his punishment. He didn't dare to look at Rita. Alex could feel the despair swallowing him, blocking his thoughts and emotions.

That was it. The end. Admitting that nothing could ever happen between them was harder that he thought. "Never" was such a painful word…

He left the battlefield hastily. He had no reasons to stay there, everything was over. He didn't want to see the hatred in her eyes, because he wasn't sure he could handle it. He wanted to remove this feeling from his chest, kill it once and for all, but it just stayed there.

He spent the rest of the day in his room. His friends didn't disturb him, and he was happy about it, though he suspected that a talk could've distracted him from his dark thoughts. And now he had to stay in his narrow room, looking through the memory of this fight over and over again.

He couldn't forgive himself for hurting her. But he knew he was right – and that was his hybrid way…

He was planning to stay in his room till tomorrow, but then Alex decided not to skip supper. He might need more energy soon! He changed into a clean uniform and went to the cafeteria.

Arriz and Norman were waiting for him there, they even kept one seat for him.

"Glad to see you," Arriz said. "We were worried. Many people here think that you were wounded."

"I'm fine."

He couldn't tell them the truth. They knew about his feelings for Rita, but he doubted they'd be able to understand that.

"Rita didn't go to the doctor," Norman informed him. "She said she wasn't seriously hurt… She wasn't hurt at all, you were very delicate about it."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

It was easier this way: doing what had to be done without looking back on his feelings.

"That's your business," Arriz shrugged. "But if you need any help, we're here for you."

Those were no empty words, and they made Alex feel better. He got a reminder that the hybrid way didn't mean absolute loneliness.

"Cool day for you tomorrow," Norman grumbled.

"What?.."

"While you were busy suffering, tomorrow's matches were announced. You don't have one tomorrow, you can rest."

There were too many hybrids in this generation to fit all duels into one day. They nearly destroyed that poor meadow today! Some competitors would only have their first round tomorrow, while others would take part in the second one, the computer was to decide that.

"What about you?" Alex asked.

"I'm fighting Iutah Kerengree. I mean, I'm flattered by the computer's opinion about me, but winning against this devil is nearly impossible!"

Norman wasn't glad about it, though not desperate either. He'd try his best against Iutah, but wouldn't be devastated by losing to him. His victory over Coris brought him enough points to continue the training anyway!

Alex was about to ask Arriz whom he was going to fight, but then remembered his friend wasn't a hybrid. It was easy to forget since he was always by their side, and Alex trusted him more than any of his classmates.

During the supper he was gazing around the cafeteria from time to time, trying to notice Rita's arrival. He wasn't going to talk to her, but even seeing she was alright meant a lot to him.

No such luck. Neither Rita nor her sister appeared in the cafeteria that day.