Chapter Five: A Spar With Thee

                                    

                                          
I see fighters training together in the arenas as I wander the training grounds. Forget training with someone else, they'll just be in my damn way. I head to the training dummies and I come to a stop where a man of dark complexion and built muscles concentrate on his attacks, striking it with mostly his fists. His arms were no doubt his main point of strength; it shows in his stance as well.
                          
I station at the post to his right, starting with first my kicks and swift movements. My eyes lock to my wooden target, as I lift my left foot, striking it where the ribs would be. I repeat the same motion with my right leg twice, doing so with speed. I follow it with a series of fist, landing in the "chest" area. I continue to strike it, using only a fraction of my skill to keep me content for the time being. I doubt I will be one of the kombatans tomorrow, they are saving my skill for when the amateurs are out of the running, and the real fighting begins.
                          
I must have struck the damn thing for about thirty minutes when the man next to me goes and sits on a bench that lies beyond the training dummies. I spot him wiping sweat off the top of his forehead in my peripheral vision as I continue to thrash at my non-existent target as if I were facing off with Kitana.
                          
"You know keeping at it like that will only drain you energy for later," I hear a strong voice caution me.
                          
Seeing it is the man on the bench with a glimpse from the corner of my eye, I stop. I can feel his eyes lock onto me.
                          
I breathe in and out, taking in the scent of Outworld before saying, "My limits far exceed yours, besides, isn't that your point for being here? You'd jump at the chance to kill me to save your precious 'Earth Realm'," I mock.
                          
"If it meant saving the realm maybe, but you aren't the ruler of Outworld, so that'll get me nowhere," he tries to reassure with a slight puzzled expression.
                          
Why the hell are Earth Realmers so fond of innocence and ignorance? All they do is brag about what's right or what's wrong. There is no right or wrong in this world, there are sides, and there are certain points of views to each one, nothing more. Whichever you choose decides whether you do right or wrong to the other person or side. In reality, both sides are the same. I know this clearly, but I am here for me, not Outworld or Earth Realm regardless of what side I am fighting for.
                          
"Really now? Even if you do manage to over throw 'the ruler'," I imitate his voice.
                          
"What makes you think we won't just say 'fuck the tournament and its rules', and simply invade your benighted realm?" I question, placing my hands on my hips, now staring dead bolt into his strong dark brown eyes.
                          
He opens his mouth to reply before getting interrupted.
                          
"Feisty one isn't she? You'd think she was Shao Kahn if we didn't know how he looked already," a familiar voice grows closer.
                          
We both turn to the gray ninja I had an encounter with last night.
                          
"You again Earth Realmer?" I announce with a harsh tone.
                          
"Wait, Smoke, you know this girl?" the man still mounted on the bench adds. He stops in front of us both. He turns to his comrade.
                          
"Well...More or less Jax," then turns to me.
                          
"Looks like it's a small 'palace' after all Miss Outworld," the gray ninja taunts.
                          
I've had about enough of him, and this is the beginning of the tournament and our third conversation.
                          
"Smoke? Ha, that's your name?" I rub it in.
                          
"Smoke is a name I've earned due to skill, something you apparently lack," he has a competitive tone in his voice that makes me just want to pull his heart out through his back and force him to eat it with me.