Rise of the Feline Society Chapter 13 - The Fight
Felix began to walk to an empty circular booth and the rest followed closely behind. The five of them sat down.
"Hey Felix," Amelia said nervously. "What did you mean if William and I are up for the task?"
"I meant what I said, "Felix replied. "You two are our fighters. I want to see what you two are made up of. Also to make some cash from this fight. Don't worry you will get a cut and you can also place your own bets.
"I will not be betting," William stated. "Nor will I be borrowing money from you to place a bet."
"Felix smiled seemingly ignoring William's comment. "This place opened hours ago but in just a few moments the duo event will start. I will register the two of you as partners. Unless there is anybody new here you two should be the second group after an intro fight. Get ready to win because I'm placing a bet on you William.
Felix got up and left heading over to the booth.
"What have I gotten into?" William asked aloud groaning.
"I don't know why you're complaining," Penny said her bright blue eyes staring into his green eyes causing his heart to skip a beat. "After what happened in the alleyway this should be easy."
William's face dropped in a sudden realization. "I was hoping that would've stayed a secret."
His irritation was written all over his face as his pupils slowly started to glow orange. Amelia who was sitting next to him noticed his eyes and elbowed him in the gut. William flinched.
"Ow," he said.
"Cheer up!" she stated. "Just think of the money that we could get if we win. I haven't been to one of these fights before but the odds should be against us so the money amount should be higher if we win."
William's pout turned into a smile as he thought about it more.
I can get money and this money can actually go to my family. I'll be able to pay for the food and the bills can go away. I can finally help my mom and ease her stress
Just as William was thinking about how much the money could help his family Amelia leaned her head in and whispered into his ear.
"Your pupils were starting to glow orange, that's why I hit you," After she was finished, she moved her head away from him.
Wait, what does she mean my eyes were starting to glow orange. I wasn't even controlling it. Great, now I'm going to have to keep my emotions in check.
"Please stand by," the system suddenly stated. "You're chemistry alteration is almost complete. Please stand by."
I'm worried of what it's doing to me, William thought just as Felix got back sitting down in his seat.
"The two of you are registered," Felix said. "I have placed down my bet for you to win William. So, please do. Let's go watch the first match."
The group got up heading to an area where they could watch the fight. The music got quieter as an announcer began to speak.
"Welcome everyone!" the announcer shouted. "To the first Duo fight of the Night!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause and the announcer continued. He introduced the two teams, one from a small-time gang called the Teufo gang and another from the Tailsail gang. Both sides entered from the crowd and similar number of cheers erupted from both sides. Apparently all that the two gangs do is just participate in the Underground fighting clubs placing coordinated bets that they win most of the time. Just as the fight began the system began to speak again.
"Neural Rewiring and Gene Editing has successfully synced with your body, the system announced. "Your true purpose will now begin. Main quest activated: Create your Kingdom."
Create my own kingdom? William didn't know what it meant but the system continued.
"Every Feline needs its own Kingdom. Create your own Feline Society and take command of it as you wish. First quest, every kingdom needs its own people: Create citizens for your kingdom. Once your first citizen has been marked, biotech behavioral modules will be applied to keep an organized system of command for your kingdom."
William's mind was overwhelmed at what he was reading. It was like the system was trying to take over what he wanted to do in life. Like what did it mean by create your own kingdom. What did it mean by create citizens for his kingdom. Did it mean invite them…like what did it mean by that.
Before William could grasp what the system was talking about the system began again.
"An explanation how the quests work will be provided. Quests are in a way, training modules. It is designed to help steer your path of evolving your body. It does not tap into the universe for power."
I feel a lot better William thought sighing as he still didn't know what the main quest meant. He placed his hands over his face contemplating on what to do when the announcer broke his thought process.
"Congrats to the Teufo gang for winning this match!"
William looked up to notice that two people laid knockout on the ground and that the other two had their arms raised in the air in triumph. A group of men came out dragging the two unconscious members of the Tailsail gang out of the makeshift arena.
"Start making your way down to the ground you two," Felix stated looking at both William and Amelia.
"Well here goes nothing," she stated as she began to walk down.
What did I get myself into, William thought as he followed after her.
The announcer continued. "Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, we have a new group that has joined. Nothing is known about them except that for tonight they are registered as an alias name. Let's welcome the Fe group!"
There were some cheering but nothing compared to the other two gangs as Amelia and William made it to the bottom entering onto the makeshift arena floor.
"The duo that they will be facing are veterans by their right. The pair have won ten consecutive duo fights. Please welcome from the Ironclad gang. Charles and Adam!"
The crowd erupted in cheering and applause as a pair of muscular mean entered the area. Both of them were just wearing grey pants. Both of them had tattoos covering their entire body and they had a couple of scars. The pair definitely looked like seasoned fighters.
"The two Fe members are defiantly screwed," someone from the crowd said. "It's an easy money grabber."
"Well, I think the noobies are going to win," his friend next to him said. "My payout is going to be huge."
"In your dreams," the man said snorting.
William's mouth dropped open as he stared at his towering opponents.
"Of course, my opponents look like beasts," William muttered.
Amelia being an Animorph had sharp hearing and barley heard what William said but she nodded her head. What she was thinking though is that what if the Ironclad members recognize her. No, she thought pushing the idea aside. They know what my parents looked like but not me, as long as I don't raise suspicion by transforming, I'll be fine.
**
Somewhere in the crowd there was a man sitting and drinking some alcohol. He was the only representative of the Shadowfire gang. He had just recruited a couple of people to the gang so his mission was fulfilled so he decided to watch a couple of matches when he noticed William. He didn't recognize him but what he did recognize was orange hair. He remembered his second mission and that was to look for a kid with orange hair.
"I better call this in," the man muttered as he pulled out his phone making a call.
It rang twice before someone picked it up.
"What is it?" the voice on the other end of the phone asked.
"There is a kid that just entered the noobie Duo round with orange hair. I was just told that I was supposed to report if there was someone with orange hair."
"A kid with orange hair, eh?" the man on the other end of the phone said. "Just keep an eye on him. I highly doubt he'll be in such a place the day after what he did. The kid is probably laying low and changing his hair color as we speak. Just keep watch and next time I'll send someone who actually knows what he looks like. If he truly is here today then he is desperate so he'll be at the next one."
Understood the man said as the call ended.
**
"Are you ready!" the announcer shouted!
All four of them nodded and William being late because his nerves were getting to him.
"Fight!"
The match started and the two Ironclad members got into their fighting positions.
William and Amelia got closer together as they assumed what they thought was a fighting stance.
"Why did I bet on them?" A girl from the crowd sighed.
Don't worry Madison," a guy sitting on her right said. "I'm sure they'll win."
"I hope so," Madison said. "Because if they don't, we'll walk away with nothing. We have to join a gang tonight if we want money."
"How about this," Leo proposed. "We don't want to join a big gang because we won't be near the top. This gang has a uniform and is unnamed. If they win, we should join them before they get a name for themselves so we're in the circle."
Madison groaned. "Fine, I just hope that whoever the gang boss is, that he is smart."
The two of them looked back at the match.
One of the Ironclad members ran forward throwing out a fist at William. He leapt back avoiding the attack. The other member did the same for Amelia and she jumped to the side. The two gang members had trapped them in a corner.
Uh, I guess I have to use this William thought.
"Skill: Agile Reflexes has been activated. Minus 5 energy. Temporary boosts dodge chance and speed for a short time."
The two men closed in as William's body dodged the attack on its own from the right Ironclad gang member. He threw a punch hitting him in the chest. The member flinched slightly but kept on moving. Amelia did a spinning tornado kick. His foot hit the man's face but when she threw out another kick the man caught it with his left hand. Amelia's eyes widened in fear as she tried to get out of his grasp but the veteran gang member was too strong. He raised his right hand preparing to break her leg when William jumped in as the gang member's fist smashed into William's rib cage and he felt some of his bones crack.
The crowd gasped as they tensed up imagining what pain William was in.
William grabbed Amelia before she could fall dragging her away from the gang members while he was clutching his chest with a pained expression on his face.
"Four ribs have been broken. Minus 8 HP. HP 42 of 50. Energy will be used to perform emergency healing. Energy 126 of 150. Note that during combat emergency healing will be regressed to a weaker state in order to keep your body and senses heightened."
Screw my senses William thought agitatedly. Just heal me.
Are you ok," Amelia asked noticing that William looked in pain as the warm feeling that he usually would feel right away when his body is getting healed was only just coming in.
"My ribs have been broken," William said in a hushed tone. "I need just a little more time for it to heal."
"Wait, don't Animorphs need more time than this match to heal their bones?"
"I can heal faster than most Animorphs," William said grunting as he could finally feel the warm sensation coming in.
The two gang members were closing in, Amelia didn't know what to do and William was still recovering.
"Amelia," William grunted. "We won't be able to win this unless we either tire them out or transform.
"We can't transform," Amelia said. "Not here."
William thought about what to do as that warm feeling was now healing his body which was easing his pain.
"Maybe if we had a piece of clothing that can cover up our transformed limbs so nobody notices.
Amelia thought about it for a moment before an idea popped into her head.
"We can use our uniform," she said. "I have a shirt under mine."
I don't have one under mine," William stated.
"So? You're a guy. You're young and nobody is going to care if you happen to be scrawny under your clothes especially if we win."
Without waiting for William's reply she unzipped her track suit taking the upper half of it off and covering her arm. William did the same taking his off and showing his scrawny bare chest.
He wrapped it around his right hand as well.
"What are they doing?" Penny asked as the three remaining members were just watching.
"I don't know," Marvin replied. "Maybe they think that punching their opponents with that on will hurt less."
Felix did not say anything as he kept watching the match, studying their every movement and action.
"Remember," William stated. "Only transform what is covered.
"Got it," she replied as the part that she was covering barely expanded.
William turned to face the Ironclad gang members as he began to transform his right hand.
"Limited Controlled Transformation skill has been activated," the system announced.
Beneath his wrapped track suit his hand began to grow and expand as he could feel his fur rubbing on his track suit. He balled his hand into a fist. It was time for the pair to end this match.
********
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