METROCITY
SBA Arena – Locker Room C
Commissioner X pointed an accusatory finger and yelled, “I do not care who started it! I do not care who is at fault! All I know is that this ends now!”
The commissioner’s tirade may have been more forceful if it weren’t coming off the tablet that Mr. Smith was holding up for Ms. Blitzen to watch. They couldn’t be in the same room without risking a repeat of their powers merging.
“Just let me fight her! If you don’t want us fighting outside the ring then put us in the ring together. Let us finish this once and for all!”
Commissioner X glared and the lights in the entire arena complex dimmed as his anger flared up. “Not. Going. To. Happen. That is the sort of thing that can provoke a war between your people. I am not going to risk an escalation of hostilities between two countries because a princess had a hissy fit!”
Emily knew there would be repercussions for her attack on Siren during the last match… twice. She knew that she could be kicked out of the league. But she didn’t care. She was nearly blinded by her rage earlier. Now she just bowed her head in shame. “I’m sorry.”
He held his finger up. “One more incident. One public remark, one stare down in the locker room, one slap to the face. And you are out of here. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” she said and turned to leave.
“Ahem.” said Mr. Smith as he switched off the tablet. “Ms. Blitzen, I just wanted to say. Well… I speak a little bit of Atlantean. And the things she said… I just. Well, you…” Ms. Blitzen stood there hipshot waiting for him to complete his thought. “I’m glad you gave her that thunder punch to the face!” he spit out.
Emily smiled and gave him a hug.
MEANWHILE:
In one of the maintenance tunnels beneath the sprawling arena complex, the snake woman powered on her holo-tranceiver and focused an image. Three cloaked figures appeared in miniature before her and she made a palms up gesture.
“Report!” hissed one of the figures.
“They burn with hatred! But the ruler of the arena will not fight them against each other.”
“As we anticipated, but we have a contingency for this.”
“Also, the silver one. Always they are together.”
The center figure leaned forward and even the tiny, pixelated hologram looked menacing. “Separate them.”