44. Not in Tune

"So then: two Early Burgers and two Phoenix Floats?" the gorgeous green-eyed worker confirmed over the chatter humming across the arena.

Deon nodded, but when he leaned in his seat to obtain his TeamTrack, he noticed Phillip had already done the same beside him.

"I'll buy this time," Phillip said simply.

While he and the young lady processed the transaction, Deon took another glimpse at the girl's marked arms. The black, swirly tattoos even covered her hands. Last time he assumed they were fashion statements, but considering her uneasy reaction, he wondered what they really were.

Already feeling apologetic after last night, Deon figured he'd try and make up for their previous interaction.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable yesterday when I brought up your markings," he told her. "I'm Deon, by the way."

The girl looked up from her device after accepting the payment. She gave a sweet smile. "Oh, you did nothing wrong," she assured. Then she brushed a finger across her ear briefly. "I'm…Zayza."

Another spectator called over to Zayza, so after confirming the transaction with Phillip, she headed off.

As people waited eagerly across Gloat Stadium for the first of the two semi-finals rounds, Deon glanced again at Phillip.

"Thanks for paying, man," he said. "But honestly, I'm confused. I don't deserve it—Pang and I went behind your back last night."

"Pang coaxed you into it—you didn't know her motives," Phillip reasoned. "And…I owe you my thanks."

"Huh? You do?"

"I awoke to find Pang gone, so I contacted Skrili. I was sure you'd give Pang what she wanted and use your powers to crush her. But by the time we found your training room, you had refused to keep fighting. You could tell something wasn't right with her."

Deon shrugged. "I mean…it was pretty worrying."

"My point is, you showed restraint. And care. The first time you fought Pang, you had no self-control. You were like a violent animal," explained Phillip. "But I suppose you've changed, and that made a difference last night. I was wrong about you."

Deon smiled.

"Only very slightly wrong about you, though," added Phillip.

"Hey, I'll take it."

They fell silent, both leaning forward in their seats as they ate anxiously. Neither wanted to admit it, but Deon knew: this fight was going to be the worst yet. There was no fire in Skrili or Pang's eyes on their way to the stadium—just jaded gazes. Last night had resurfaced past emotions at the worst possible time.

Phillip winced as a black vein in his neck twitched. Deon pretended not to notice.

They need to pull it together…he thought.

Abruptly, Zayza rushed back down to their row, seeking them out. She caught Deon's attention.

"Pardon me—do you know someone named—"

"THE TIME HAS COME, FELLOW FIGHTING FANS!!!!!!!!" Soot's voice boomed across the stadium, even louder than in past fights. The lighting and music went berserk, completely drowning out whatever Zayza was about to say.

Now totally immersed the unfolding event, Deon kept all his attention on the arena. The seats shook from the audience's roar.

"We've made it to the Semi-Finals, Soot," chimed in Talonvorp. "And might I add: this is turning out to be the most electric Fantasy Country Conscious Competition in quite a few years."

"All the twists and turns!! My heart hasn't stopped pounding since day one!" Soot agreed.

"Again: that's the bewitched coffee. But anyway, one of the culprits behind these unexpected twists is about to enter the arena!" Talonvorp declared. "These two young ones came out of nowhere, and despite this being their first ever Conscious Competition, they've been dominating—even besting Darla and Benny Stewarts!"

"But will they be able to wow us all again today, pitted up against the Fiction Country Conscious Competition champions?!" Soot pondered. "Let's see what else they got: please welcome Pang Pereo and Skrili Kay!!"

The audience's thunderous response was much more intense than Deon had expected as Skrili and Pang floated into the arena. Clearly, they had won the hearts of thousands here.

But this time, Pang wasn't waving back to the crowd. She simply stared ahead emptily, while Skrili looked around with unease visible even from Deon's seat.

"And like you said, Talonvorp, their opponents couldn't be more difficult. These two…"

Gradually, the entire stadium began filling with a deep, unanimous cheer:

"ALEX...! VING…! ALEX…! VING…!"

It grew more and more powerful, soon drowning out the rest of Soot's hype speech. The flashing lights in the stadium matched suit. Eventually Soot let out a laugh and gave up, and Deon could hardly hear him announce "the amazing Alex and Ving!"

Deon had to block his hears. He noticed Phillip maintained a dead stare on the fighting arena while Alex and Ving were met with the ultimate greeting.

Suddenly, Deon didn't have much of an appetite.

Down on the platform, Skrili wiped a hand across her face. But it didn't undo the heaviness in her eyes, or increase her focus. Getting up in the middle of the night threw off her recovery from the healing process.

Pang sighed beside her, and Skrili knew her exhaustion wasn't their only problem. She was certain Pang couldn't rest last night after her panic attack. She was haunted—she always had been—and now, of all times, it was surfacing.

Skrili almost opened her mouth to speak. She almost checked on Pang. But her torn photo of her brother blinked into the forefront of her thoughts. Somehow, bitterly, her memory of Pang destroying Akri's smile before her eyes had become much more vivid than her memory of his smile itself.

Why should she offer a hand to the person who did this to her?

Across the platform, Alex and Ving greeted them with disarming smiles.

"Well Skrili, I did say we should meet in the finals," began Alex, "but this is close enough! Congrats on getting this far!"

Ving bowed to each of them. "It will be a pleasure."

Skrili couldn't find it in herself to reply, even to two of her favorite pro stars. She felt queasy—a particular sort, of which she hadn't felt in years:

The kind just before a fight she knew she couldn't win.

Alex watched their weary eyes with concern. "Hey now, I've seen what you ladies can do. You better give us your best!"

"I will," Skrili and Pang both promised.

Alex appeared oddly dissatisfied with their answers, as Ving looked off like she had just discovered a gaping, unfortunate weak spot.

With the entire crowd about to burst out of their seats in anticipation, the semi-finals couldn't hold off any longer.

"Get ready for a wild ride!!" shouted Soot. "Count it with me:"

"THREE…"

Pang rapidly turned to Skrili. "Sneak Bounce!" she called urgently.

"TWO…"

"Wait—what?!" Skrili shot in a panic.

"ONE…"

"No time to plan—just do it!!"

"FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Skrili immediately felt a spongy surface launch her straight into the air, and in an instant she crashed sloppily against another. It was their surprise attack—but it surprised Skrili just as much as anyone.

In accordance with the technique, she was now positioned behind Alex, so she did her best to aim a kick in midair. But the attack was meant to happen in a blink—any marginally different timing, and it was compromised. Instead, she toppled to the floor just past Alex, who stood completely unharmed.

Pang was supposed to use Alex's imagining to launch her again at Ving, but the surprise attack was already ruined. They failed miserably.

"Oh no! What a slip-up!" Soot exclaimed.

"It appears Skrili and Pang attempted the same surprise technique that won them an instant victory in the Preliminaries," Talonvorp observed. "Pang used an Imaginer's powers to launch Skrili with springs, in a ricochet effect meant to take down their opponents right out the gate—Solid choice here, but frankly, this was plain sloppy execution."

"I wonder what went wrong?" added Soot.

In the balcony seating, Phillip clenched his fists.

Deon's foot tapped endlessly. "So that's what I missed in the Preliminaries…they were way off this time…"

"They're not in tune," Phillip noticed despairingly.

Skrili leaped to her feet, in a race to distance herself from Alex and Ving as they watched unalarmed. They effectively had her surrounded.

Great—now what?! she thought.

Pang cursed. "Um—MATCHUPS!! Take Ving, take Ving!!" she demanded, now darting towards Alex.

With no time to consider the call, Skrili complied, turning to face the unruffled Ving. Skrili hesitated when the tall, feathery robe-covered girl again gave a warm smile.

"I shall do my best, Skrili," she sang, accepting the faceoff.

Alex's imagined wind encircled Ving, and as soon as she raised her wavy sleeves, she took to the air. Skrili waited below, unable to prevent her ascent.

Meanwhile Pang neared Alex, tapping into his imagining to create the same black-heart attack she used against Deon the night prior. They hovered around her, ready to fire.

"Interesting call, Pang…didn't you catch our last fight?" Alex asked.

He was right; Lozu and Richvon had tried the same offensive: attempting to separate them. But Pang knew they relied on each other's powers, and considering her lack of preparation for today, she had to roll with what little she knew.

"I can be a little more distracting," Pang uttered. She rapid-fired the hearts at him.

Alex flipped, hopped, and skirted out of the way masterfully, avoiding each attack.

"Assistance?" Ving queried from up in the air.

"I'm good!" Alex replied as Pang tried her best to fire more heart attacks.

Ving nodded confidently. Then, the wind sent her swooping down at Skrili. She glided and balanced using her feathered robe. Ving stretched out her hands, revealing her long, claw-like black fingernails.

Just in time, Skrili dove out of her reach and Ving returned to the air. Ving plunged back down again, and again, only to the same effect.

Skrili tried to loosen up. Ving had gotten so close each time, the gust of Alex's wind itself almost knocked her over. Tired as she was, she needed to stay sharp.

The accuracy of these attacks…Skrili analyzed. Alex is completely dodging Pang, but at the same time he's able to aim Ving straight at me with his wind…

The air dives continued, even increasing speed, and Skrili feared she could only last so long.

"Okay then…" Pang grumbled after her onslaught continued to fail. She scrapped the black heart idea and imagined a series of black clouds high above Alex.

He observed the miniature storm curiously. "Very cool…you know I can just imagine this away, right?"

"Not if I don't give you time to," Pang retorted.

A pitch black bolt of lightning cackled from the cloud to where Alex stood in less than a blink. Alex must have sensed the use of his powers coming, because he sidestepped it just in time.

"WHOA! Awesome!" he complimented.

But Pang didn't have time for pleasantries: she jolted as many lightning bolts into existence as possible, grateful for Alex's level of imagining.

"You're…pretty good at…imagining…for not being…an Imaginer!" Alex shouted in between frantic dodges.

It was clear Pang's plan was working: not only couldn't he imagine the attack away, he couldn't keep commanding the wind for Ving: she now floated in place above Skrili.

Ving's owlish eyes peered over to her teammate with a hint of concern. "Impressive…I'll offer alleviation," she decided.

Suddenly Pang's lightning bolts grew farther away from their target, until they were striking nowhere close. Soon, they began slowing.

"Can't…time it…" Pang groaned.

"In a smart defensive move, Ving has activated her Perceiver powers on Pang!" Soot commentated.

Alex shot Ving a thumbs-up. Within seconds, he forced Pang's artificial storm to vanish.

"Skrili is very quick—I can't toss her," Ving shared. "I'd like to request Combustion Claws."

"Coming right up!" exclaimed Alex.

Ving held out her hands, and spirals of wind began whirling around her long nails. Then strands of fire weaved into the air, until she had circles of flames around each finger.

"Great…" Skrili muttered.

"Don't worry—the fire is mostly aesthetic," Ving explained melodiously. "Alex likes to put on a show; it won't burn you. However, this might still hurt quite a bit."

With that, the wind gusts tossed her back downward, and she glided at Skrili with dazzlingly bright hands. The crowd cheered at the glorious sight.

Skrili dove to the side again, but a POP resounded as Ving swiped a hand near her. An instantaneous explosion of air pounded into Skrili and sent her tumbling hard against the arena floor. She stood back up, disheveled, as a minor Power Rebound boost welled up within.

Looking around frenziedly, Skrili couldn't see where Ving had gone. She found out too late, as another explosion burst dead-on to her back. The hit sent her airborne for a moment before crashing near the center of the platform.

Skrili stood slower this time, her Power Rebound increasing—but with it, her nausea also increased. The ground seemed to shift under her for an instant before she caught her footing.

I never finished recovering last night—my body can't handle a Power Rebound, she noticed. We're in trouble.

Her bleak outlook only worsened as Ving's Combustion Claw attacks raged on.

Only steps away, Pang stood in aggravation. No matter how hard she focused on Alex, she kept taking unusually long to imagine an attack. He imagined each away with ease.

Clearly, Ving was still throwing off Pang's perception of time and space with her Perceiver powers—even as she fought Skrili. Her concentration was impeccable.

"Now for probably my least favorite part, though I guess it's necessary," Alex declared.

He started towards Pang, ready for close-combat.

As he swung his first fist, Pang tried to block. But again, her timing was delayed, and he landed a direct hit on her stomach. It was like he had punched two times faster than Pang witnessed it. This pattern only continued, unfolding into a fully one-sided fight. Pang took more and more damage, managing only to hold her ground.

Deon groaned as he and Phillip watched their companions get proficiently pummeled. He wanted to dive into the arena and help.

This can't be it…he thought.

Skrili gasped for air, her body shaking as she barely reached her feet this time. Her Power Rebound was exploding within, but it only added to her discomfort—her body wasn't fit to use this extra strength.

It was clear Pang's haphazard plan had failed just as their surprise attack: separating Alex and Ving meant nothing. They were both able to support each other with their consciousness abilities, even while immersed in their own fight. Their communication and dependency was unbreakable.

If Skrili and Pang had only been able to prepare for this fight, maybe they would've stood a slight chance. Even if they had strategized this morning, they wouldn't have flopped so easily.

But after last night, their communication had broken. Pang hadn't said a word to her until the fight began. Now there were invisible, impenetrable walls between them.

"It is time," Ving declared, floating in place.

As Alex kicked Pang down one more time, he sighed. "I guess you're right. I still felt like these two had more to offer."

Pang forced herself to at least stand, grasping her stomach.

"As did I," agreed Ving. "Combustion Orbs, please."

Alex complied with her request, imagining another special attack. As Ving held out her hands, Alex placed compressed, spherical gusts of air into them, and added in the sparks of fake fire like before.

"I will try not to make this last long," Ving assured Skrili.

Then, she tossed one of the wind orbs at her from above. As she did, another reformed in the hand she had just emptied.

Skrili made a break for it, but the attack exploded against the arena right behind her, tossing her like she was weightless. By the time she landed, another was on its way and gave the same impact.

Slamming onto her back, Skrili coughed.

She's forcing me off the platform with these, she realized. And I'm already running out of strength…What do I do?

As soon as Ving had sprung into action, Alex did the same. His offensive against Pang grew even more intense. With Ving's powers still influencing her, Pang could do little other than take the hits and back further towards the edge of the platform.

"Well folks, not to call it, but it looks like Alex and Ving have our breakout stars on their way out!" Soot announced.

Another spectacular blast sent Skrili flying and left her lying mere steps from the edge. She heard Pang let out a grunt and crash right beside her—Alex had kicked her back with great force.

The girls' eyes met as they lay together, nearly incapacitated. A wave of mixed emotions flooded Skrili as she wearily gazed into Pang's golden, now hopeless eyes. This girl was once her best friend, then her worst enemy.

But who was Pang to her now?

The fight was all but over…but staring into Pang's eyes, why did Skrili so desperately want to keep fighting? Why couldn't she give up, even when the outcome felt inevitable?

She wanted to save Phillip. She couldn't let someone else die because of her…but glancing at Pang, she knew that wasn't all.

So why was Skrili really here?

"Don't give me that look," Pang shot weakly.

"What look?"

"You know what look."

The emotions flowing through Skrili began to manifest into something familiar. Finally, she understood.

She knew what Pang meant. And it caused her to realize an unexpected truth; something that rarely ever occurred:

Deon was right.

His words played back in her head:

'I know stuff has happened between you two, but now I also know now how much you two understand each other. Honestly, it's pretty obvious you still care about each other.'

After everything Pang did: leaving her behind, stealing her belongings, and destroying her photograph…after all of that, Skrili still cared for her. She knew why Pang did all of those things:

It was never about Skrili's feelings. It was about her own.

'Alex and Ving won their last fight, because they know and trust each other more than anyone…' Deon had said.

'…If there's ever a time to try and trust each other again, it's gonna have to be now.'

There was still a way to win.

"It didn't have to happen like this," Skrili told Pang soberly.

"If this is about last night, just forget—"

"None of it had to happen like this," continued Skrili. "When we first teamed up, we shouldn't have promised each other to forget our pasts. I couldn't do it, and that scared you—because admit it: you couldn't, either."

"Just…drop it—"

"Folks, I think this is just about over!" announced Soot.

Skrili and Pang broke their gaze to find Alex and Ving standing a few paces away. Wind was shooting around Alex, as Ving watched on with an odd hint of sadness.

"Be gentle, they are about finished," Ving advised.

"No problem," Alex agreed. "Sorry guys, this is it!"

Alex forced a powerful wave of air their way.

"No!" exclaimed Pang. Wincing, she glared at the oncoming attack. Then, a gust equal in size collided with it, holding it in place: Pang used Alex's Imagining to block it. Straining, she returned her attention to Skrili.

"Forget the lecture! It's over—I can't hold this!" she shouted over the rumbling wind.

But Skrili refused. "Listen to me, Pang! We lost our friendship because you shut me out when you needed me. Now we're losing this fight because you're doing it again."

"What do you know?!"

"I know exactly what you're going through, that's what! Like it or not, we need each other, because we're the only ones who understand each other."

Pang paused, still struggling to match Alex's wind with her own as she stared at Skrili.

Skrili brought herself to her knees slowly, the gusts pulling at her. "I know how much winning this means to you!" she said. "Believe me, I know! So this isn't just about saving Philip to me. I'm realizing it never was just that—It's about making sure you never have to feel the pain of losing someone you love again…because we both know what that feels like, and I can't let that happen to you anymore!"

Finally, both bursts of wind sucked into each other and swooped out of existence. Pang had managed to cancel out Alex's attack.

The crowd gasped, but Pang was already beyond this. Her focus was now on Skrili.

"Where is all this coming from? I'm terrible; you should hate me," Pang told her, her words now crystal clear with the gusts gone. "After everything…you should just hate me."

"Sometimes…I wish I could," Skrili admitted. "But I guess I just don't. I understand you. And I'm willing to stop shutting you out, if you can do the same for me. If we do that, we have a chance."

She reached for Pang's hand. Pang glanced at their untouched opponents, then back at Skrili with shiny eyes. Finally she accepted, and the two battered fighters supported each other to their feet.

Applause began slow, until the shocked crowd filled the air with admiration.

"They're—they're somehow still in this?!" Soot shouted.

Skrili noticed Pang still didn't release her hand, even after they stood. She avoided eye contact, staring their opponents down instead. Her hand was trembling.

"You're super corny, Skrili," Pang muttered. Then she clutched Skrili's hand even tighter. "But…I'm listening. Okay, let's do this together."

Skrili nodded. "That's what got us this far."

Pang smiled weakly. "Alright. How about you call it this time."

"No Matchups. We take them both on at once. Straight on."

The crowd erupted with excitement. For a moment, Skrili had forgotten the tournament amplified their voices.

"YES!! THAT'S what I'm talking about!!" Deon exclaimed up in the balcony. "FREAKING WIN!!!!"

Phillip smirked. "It seems they've taken to your advice from this morning."

Alex and Ving appeared just as elated, both smiling with fire in their eyes.

"Alright! Now this looks like the team I wanted to fight!" Alex proclaimed.

Skrili and Pang watched on nervously. Their bodies were shaken, their minds nearly spent. But they were a unit again, at least right now.

"Hey…Skrili," started Pang softly. "I'm sorr—"

"Save it until after we win," Skrili interrupted.

They released each other's hands and shifted into identical fighting stances. A new adrenaline had awakened:

Their second chance had begun.