| XX | Flame versus Poison

                                    

                                          
   *No POV*
                          
     Scarlett paced her room, running a hand through her hair. "Okay, okay... I'm next up in the fight. Right?"
                          
     "Well, you and Tox are the only ones who haven't fought yet," Turner answered, a finger pointed. "So I'm pretty sure you're fighting soon, just to finish off the first round."
                          
     "Way to rush things," Kai mumbled.
                          
     Scarlett stopped pacing, looking at the group for a few seconds. She then smiled—although it was just Neuro and Turner, she was glad they finally made friends with the rest of her team, save for Cole.
                          
     She wished he, Ash, and Camille could be there too. But for now, this would do.
                          
     "What's got you smiling?" Jay asked.
                          
     "Neuro, you wanna explain it for me? I'm sure you were reading my mind."
                          
     "It's too sentimental for me. I'm sure you would like to explain it yourself."
                          
     Scarlett laughed a bit, clapping her hands together. "I'm just glad that finally, after this entire thing, my old friends and new friends can get along."
                          
     Then the five of them exchanged glances, laughing a bit.
                          
     "Well, besides the tournament itself, you're the common denominator, Scar," Lloyd pointed out. "We both like you so much, I think that's why we're still sticking together."
                          
     "Sure, we have our alliance—but those two don't have to stick around." Kai grinned, nudging his thumb into Turner's side. "All because of our little Scarlet Ninja here."
                          
     "Maybe so. But hey, like she said, we're all getting along, right?" The speed master grinned, playfully elbowing him.
                          
     Seeing them so carefree calmed Scarlett's nerves a bit and she took a deep breath. I can fight her... Master of Poison, she can't be very offensive...
                          
     Chen's voice then sounded through the speaker in her room. "The final fight in the first round... well, I'm sure everyone knows who's fighting!" A maniacal giggle. "Will the dauntless Master of Poison and lovely Master of the Dragon Flame please head to their assigned arena?"
                          
     Scarlett cringed, a shudder running down her spine. "God, he's doing that on purpose."
                          
     "Remember... after the last fight, we've seen that Shade and Tox like to cheat together—you must be aware and pay attention to everything she does," Neuro warned.
                          
     "Right..." She nodded, clenching her fists confidently. "I don't know what she could do offensively with poison... besides actually poisoning me. Oh god, what if she tries to kill me?"
                          
     "That wouldn't benefit Chen in any way, shape, or form. If he wants your powers, he wouldn't want you dead," Jay told her. "So I doubt he'd allow Tox to try and kill you."
                          
     "Gee, thanks..."
                          
     "Don't worry, okay? We'll be up there cheering for you." Lloyd gave her a reassuring smile, to which she nodded and smiled as well.
                          
     "Come on, let's get out of here," Kai told the five. "We don't need her to be late."



                          
     The arena was different this time around. It was made to look like the stone hall that only the ninja have traveled through the night they discovered Chen's plan—but only they knew this.
                          
     Of course, Chen did this on purpose.
                          
     They all sat outside in the same benches, staring down at the plain floor. It was similar to Jay and Cole's arena, except the walls and ground were a beige stone.