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Learning to Walk Again

By: Sinead

 

Chapter Seven

 

 

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My armor was in place. Everything was going right for once. The spandex-like material that I always wore under the armor was breathing well, cooling me. Dinobot hadn’t thought of a human name that he liked, but I had looked through a baby names book, and found a few that I thought would match him. He was currently looking the list over. Brute was helping me tighten a few pieces of armor, while I tried staying upright. He tugged ruthlessly.

 

I looked at Dinobot. He sighed. “Orrin? Sounds like Orion, and that was that Autobot Prime’s juvenile name.”

 

“So that’s a no? I like the name Orion. It means warrior.” I asked. I yelped, as a tug on my armor pinched, then hit Brute’s shoulder, armored as mine was. “That HURT!”

 

He play-winced, but grinned evilly. “Sorry.”

 

I smiled, shrugged, and he started working on another strap on my back. “Right. Next?”

 

“Donovan . . . what does that mean?”

 

“Dark warrior.”

 

“Hm . . . Balin?”

 

“Powerful warrior.”

 

He snickered. “Ooh . . . better. Powerful?”

 

Another voice entered the conversation, a teasingly evil tone in her voice. “Not in bed, I presume. Otherwise, she would have never said that.”

 

I snapped over my shoulder, “Down, Hoshi! No teasing! I’m stressed!”

 

“’Course you are! You’ve been sleeping next to someone without getting the slightest bit of action!”

 

Dinobot sighed, already stressed enough about me being in an arena, and not under his protection. “Back to the subject on hand. What’s this one . . . Toshiro? Do I look Japanese to you?”

 

Hoshi turned out to the hall, and beckoned for someone. Her twin, Ganko, appeared, and she rapped something out in their native language. He blinked at Dinobot, and squinted, then replied something, smiling. Hoshi replied, “To my brother and me, yes, so Toshiro sounds good. I can find other names that would suit you well, too.”

 

He nodded. “I’ll keep that option open. There’s really nothing else to say upon the matter, I feel.”

 

I sighed. “Dinobot, they’ll start to ask me– Hey! Michael! Enough of the gagging noises! . . . Like I was saying, Dinobot, They’ll be asking me if I’m single. Then they’ll ask who I love. What am I going to say?”

 

He blinked, and shrugged. “A nameless warrior.”

 

I shook my head. “You don’t know the media.”

 

“So this is a now-or-never deal?”

 

“Possibly.”

 

He nodded, and looked at his palms, scarred in the fashion of my own. Michael Brute patted my shoulder, signaling that he was done adjusting my armor, and I walked over to Dinobot. I took his hands in mine, covered them with my armored ones, and asked softly, barely above a whisper, “Which one do you find closest to your heart?”

 

He pulled me into his arms, and I rested my head against his shoulder. With a sigh into my boyishly-short hair, he asked, “Where’s that book?”

 

I left his arms, and dug through my bag, finding it. “I had the feeling that you’d want to look through it yourself. Here.”

 

He opened it, and winced. “Girl’s section. Bleah. Here.”

 

“Just as a bit of help, Dinobot, you look as if you’re from the Eastern half of this world,” Itosugi said, walking into the room. “I’d choose something from that, or something from the European part. Your green eyes are rather odd.”

 

He blinked at me, and I nodded. With a shrug, he started reading names out quietly. “Akira, Angus–”

 

“That’s a type of beef cattle, so I wouldn’t call myself that if I were you,” I interjected.

 

He winced and nodded, then continued. “Aukai, Blane, Bowen, Brett, Brice, Brock, Caelan, Calhoun, Chad, Colin, Devlin . . .” He blinked. “Donovan, I guess, as well. Edan, Ewan . . . nothing here . . . or here . . . Jomei, Kado, Kaelan, Kane, Kincaid, Neil . . . nothing here . . . Rei, Sloan, Toshihiro, Toshiro . . . nothing . . . Yokio, and that’s it.”

 

I took the book from him, and asked, “So which one defines you?”

 

He shrugged. “Caelan, I thought at first, then Donovan, Kaelan–”

“You said that twice.”

 

“One’s with a ‘C’ the other with a ‘K.’ Sorry.”

 

I chuckled. “It isn’t your fault, Dinobot. Lesse . . . Caelan with a ‘C’ means ‘Strong fighter,’ while Kaelan with a ‘K’ means ‘Mighty at war.’ Anything else?”

 

“Yokio?”

 

“Boy who goes his own way.”

 

“And then you have to find a decent Japanese last name,” Ito-chan said, chuckling. “So what do you say to Yokio? It seems as if you were meant to be defined by it. You’ll definitely will be going your own way, no matter what will be happening.”

 

Dinobot sighed, looked at me, and we watched each other for a moment, before he smiled. “If you would choose the name, Itosugi, then I would be honored.”

 

Ito-chan laughed. “Me? Nah. I’ll leave that up to your dearest wife . . . or, wife-to-be, by human standards.”

 

I pulled out a Japanese-English-Japanese dictionary, and started looking up a few words. I bit ly lip, and tried to piece a few together in my mind. Hameijin . . . maybe. Uhm . . . wait. Sword of . . . of what? Of course.

 

“How about Kenkokoro?”

 

Itosugi blinked, then tried the name out, in both the Japanese way, as well as the European or American way. “Kenkokoro Yokio. Yokio Kenkokoro.” He nodded. “Wise choice.”

 

“Mind telling me what it means?”

 

I smiled, as the five-minute warning bell went off. We could hear the crowd’s wild cheering from here, ecstatic that the tournament would be starting soon, providing them with what they had paid for. Itosugi chuckled. “Sword of the spirit, Spirit-sword . . . whichever.”

 

He smiled, and nodded. “I like that.”

 

“Then you’ll be a Japanese boy orphaned, and raised in the United States. That would be why you have no idea how to speak a word of Japanese.”

 

He snorted. “Baka yarro.”

 

“Then again, maybe you do.”

 

I chuckled, and Terrence and Jett walked in, each holding their helmets under their arm. I picked my own up, looking at the red streaks that laced across the face. With a smile, I looked at Hoshi and Dinobot, now known in his human mode as Yokio. He smiled, and nodded once. Itosugi had ran ahead, to be with the judges, as they would enter the ring first, to be announced before the fighters and the arenas. They left for the special box stands, which were reserved for family and friends of the fighters. I had Mom, Hoshi, Ganko, and Dinobot there. I knew that a few others that I knew would drift in and watch, so I didn’t mind it.

 

We reached the entrance to the arena, and the others started sneering at me, since I was the only girl in the league. That is, they all did, before Extinction walked over to join us. He spun me to face him, and touched the scars, testing how well they had healed. “Hm. This one I have seen, when you came to pick up your new armor, but these four . . . from Fang, was it? That dishonorable idiot. Are you okay?”

 

I chuckled. “Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean that I’m weak, Extinction. You of all people should at least know that.”

 

“I know that, Kedakai!” He sighed, releasing me. “What of your other scars? Have they reopened since they’ve healed?”

 

“Once for my chest, multiple times for my hands.”

 

“And why would that be?”

 

I snickered, and replied, “Do you expect me to sit on my behind all day, when I can train?”

 

There were affirming noises from the other fighters around us. Hm. Most of them approve of my feelings and beliefs. Extinction shook his head. “And I heard that you have a significant other here today?”

 

“Must be another girl,” someone muttered.

 

Extinction picked him out of the group easily. “I would watch it if I were you, Tempest. I’ve heard from Kedamono, who will be judging us, that her fiancee, Yokio is as formidable as she is. If he is not more ferocious than her. I have also heard that he can wield a sword as artfully as Kedakai. I would know, since I have been watching her from her training days.”

 

I blinked. That’s right. We haven’t been married by human standards yet. And Ito-chan saw Dinobot getting back into shape again? So how could he have told . . . ? Oh, of course. He had run past here before the rest of us had a chance to. With a shake of my head, I added, “And defeating you shall be quite easy, if you play nicely.”

 

“Ever wonder why I’m called Tempest, girlie?”

 

I grinned at him. “Ever wonder about your manhood? Rather, your nonexistent manhood? I could clarify that simple issue, Tempest. Since you’re acting so witchy, then I’d have to say that you’re plainly suffering through PMS.”

 

Talon, Brute, and Fear snickered, as well as most of the other fighters. We were then announced, saving us from further conflict from behind the arena doors. “From the WeyQuinTree Arena, Brute, Fear, Talon, and Kedakai!”

 

We walked out, our heads held high, our helmets under our arms, and the crowd cheered wildly. We took our places beneath our banner, with the symbols of a tree, representing Braintree, sheltering two granite statues. One was of John Adams, the second President of the United States, as well as John Quincy Adams, John Adam’s son, the fourth President of the United States. They represented Quincy. On the other side of the tree, was the picture of a genetically-engineered cat, that a small genetics company, that was once occupied with fertility drugs, came up with. The cat was named Sero, and it was three feet tall, and spotted. It was named after the company’s name, Serono. That represented Weymouth.

 

Others were announced, and soon, the whole arena was filled with fighters from around the region. New England wasn’t really that large, but when it came down to it, we had a large amount of people, with quite the warrior’s spirit. Extinction’s arena was next to us. He was from the North PlainFoxBoro Arena. That was the arena from four towns, instead of three: Attleboro, North Attleboro, Foxboro, and Plainville. He smiled once at me, and from above the banner, I heard, “If you get yourself, killed, Alessa, I’ll never forgive you, I hope you know!”

 

Extinction and I both looked up, and Dinobot/Yokio scowled back down at us. I smiled. “Oh, stop your worrying, Yokio. You know that I’ll come out fine.”

 

“Alessa . . .”

 

Extinction chuckled. “Don’t you start worrying, Yokio. If anyone threatens to harm my student, then they’ll have to deal with me.”

 

My three companions looked at me. “You were trained by the World Champion?!”

 

I sighed. “I’ll tell you after. Extinction, after the tournament, if you and your team are free, you’re all invited to come for dinner at the Pavilion.”

 

“Good! Just as long as you aren’t cooking, Kedakai!”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Fighters, to your rooms!”

 

We saluted the judges, but I stayed out, after everyone else went in. I was the first up, against one named “Inu-Yasha.” I had the feeling that he liked either the old anime or the even-older manga, both called Inu-Yasha, that told the story of a dog-demon. I thought that it was cute.

We donned our helmets, and I said, “So any last words, Demon-Boy?”

 

He chuckled. “If I’ve heard correctly about you, Kedakai, then I should be saying, ‘May the Kami protect my passing!’ On with it?”

 

“Hai. Bring it on.”

 

The announcing horn blew, and we immediately dropped into fighting stances, watching everything about the other fighter. He attacked, but not before I recognized his style. He executed a fantastic leap, and I threw myself into a forward roll on my left shoulder. Blocking a blow from him wouldn’t be the greatest idea, this early in the fight.

 

I dug my feet into the ground, and then made a charge, ramming him up against the arena fence, my sword-tip at his throat.

 

The horn blew again, signifying my win, and Inu-Yasha’s loss. I released him, pulling my helmet free, and smiling at him. “You know, if I hadn’t known that you were going to leap, then you would have had me. Great job, though, Demon-Boy. Friends?”

 

He shook my outstretched hand, as we walked out of the arena, clearing it for the next fighters. It was someone named Dare, pitted against Tempest. I watched his every move, and made sure that I memorized his style. I’d need it. Extinction walked up to me, and tapped my shoulder. “You painted it well, Kedakai.”

 

I sighed, and smiled. “You were the forger. I have nothing else to do with it.”

 

“They’re reminders to who you are, your character. You’re not going to be forgotten easily, once-apprentice.”

 

He patted my shoulder, and Tempest walked in, with Dare walking sluggishly behind him. The taller one sneered at me, and I touched Dare’s arm, as he passed. His eyes were dull, and I smiled. “Don’t let that bully say that you did horrible. You should know that I was watching. You did really well.”

 

“Yeah, bull.”

 

“She doesn’t say that easily or to many people,” Fear said, walking over, smirking. “She hasn’t yet said that once to either myself or Brute. On the other hand, ’Kai, I’m wondering what you’ve been saying to Talon lately. He’s not been his normal self.”

 

Dare left, starting to brighten. I turned to look at Fear. “What do you mean?”

 

“He’s been a bit lower than usual. You know, sad, I guess.”

 

I sighed, and replied, “He would want me for himself, if I wasn’t already promised in marriage. I think that I broke his heart, without knowing that I had been doing just that. He’s like a brother to me, Fear, and I would only want his friendship.”

 

“But if you weren’t gonna get married . . .”

 

I smiled. “Then I would probably be in his arms, instead of Yokio’s.”

 

The short fighter chuckled. “And I can tell that the two of you love each other deeply, eh?”

 

I smiled, and nodded. Extinction walked back in from the ring, laughing and joking with his opponent. He always made a point to reassure the other fighter whom he had defeated. It was something that he taught me, and that I’ve even started to carry on, since I was now talking around the arena.

 

About an hour later, round two began. Extinction was out in the arena, about to fight Brute. Both Brute and Fear had gotten this far. Talon, as well. Brute smiled, before he went out, and said, “Well, here I go to get my butt beaten. I’ll be back . . . in a few pieces.”

 

A few moments later, he returned, laughing with Extinction. I smiled, and my once-teacher, now-mentor, said, “You’re up, ’Kai. The crowd’s wailing for you.”

 

“Howling, you mean,” I said.

 

“Nope. You’re not a wolf anymore. You’re a Velociraptor.”

 

I held up my shield, and he saw both the wolf and the ’Raptor that I had painted on there, posing as if ready to attack in unison an opponent, and not each other.. He chuckled, and I went out, to face one named Swoop. I walked up to him, helmet off, and asked, “What is it with guys and taking on the alias of a cartoon character?”

 

“You’re a Transformers fan?” he asked, looking down at me. Did I mention that he’s about six feet, ten inches tall?

 

“Grew up with Beast Wars, then Beast Machines. How about that?”

 

“Total oldies!”

 

“Hey, whatever works. Talk later?”

 

“You’re on.”

 

We donned our helmets, and crossed swords, tapping them once against each other, before attacking. He tripped, as I had hit him lower than his center of gravity, but he had pulled me down, so that we went rolling. I quickly kicked out of it, then blocked a nasty slash with my shield, before locking swords with him. He had the upper hand, here, but not for long. Easily, I maneuvered my long shield between his knees, then twisted and pushed, sending him to his back, looking up at me along the length of my blade. The horn sounded, I let him up, and he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “That was quick.”

 

“One called ‘Tempest’ will want my full attention. I plan on giving it to him.”

 

“So who’s your favorite Beast Warrior?” he asked, just as we were passing under the WeyQuinTree Arena banner.

 

Yokio reached down, and touched my outstretched hand, smiling. I replied, “Dinobot. Without a doubt.”

 

“Yeah, you fight like him. Brutal, quick, to the point . . . and amazingly stubborn.” He grinned.

 

Yokio snorted, and I chuckled, then walked back into the rooms that we waited in. Tempest was coming out, and a camera was following both me and Swoop from the arena to here. Swoop patted my shoulder, and walked into a side room, to get out of his armor. Tempest came up to me. “How old are you, anyway?”

 

“Eighteen.”

 

“Hmph. Small for even a girl. What says that you’re small in other areas?”

 

I glared at him. “At least if I actually cared about my size, I could do something about it. You, on the other hand, have no hope left.”

 

I brushed by him, and a group of snickering fighters parted to let me through, then closed again. Tempest wasn’t that stupid, and even he wouldn’t try to get past a group of fighters that were still in the competition. Then he would be out.

 

With a sigh, I itched right under the metal collar that I wore, and sighed. Fear came over, and said, “I won my last match, and if Tempest wins this next one, I’m toast.”

 

I smiled, and replied, “Yeah, and since I won this one, that means if you’re defeated, I’m up against that bully in the finals.”

 

He grinned, and The horn blew to start. Three seconds later (believe me, I was looking at a clock), and the horn blew again. Tempest was announced the winner. I rubbed at my eyes, and the other fighters entered the room, gathering around me. I looked up at one, who was named Savage. He was another friend of mine, from school, and had always wondered what I had been doing after the school day was over, since we had also lived next door to each other. He was in Extinction’s Arena, now that he had moved, but we always tried to keep in touch.

 

He leaned against the wall next to me.“He’s not happy for making a fool of him in front of the world. Crap. Another camera.”

 

I snorted. “Well, he started it, by trying to make a fool out of me. Serves the bugger right.”

 

“Are you insane?”

 

“Possibly.”

 

He smirked, and Another pair were called out. Extinction walked over to me, and tapped my shoulder, discreetly motioning that I look to my left. I did, out of the corner of my eye, and saw that Tempest was glaring at me. I made a point of ignoring him.

 

I could tell that this was going to be a longer day than I had thought.