Papuru Star: Coalition Carnage

Chapter 8: Crystal Clear

A Yuni with grey streaks running through blue and burgundy smooth, rock skin sat heavily at a table. A stone cup full of water was there, which the Yuni took slow measured sips from. Another man was in the seat opposite the Yuni, a floating viewscope and filming light to either side of him.

Interviewer
Good evening, Mr. Skipstone. I hope the trip here was pleasant.

Vaug
Call me Vaug and it was as fine as any trip a hundred and ninety year old man is likely to take these days.

Interviewer
Okay. So, why don't we start by introducing yourself.

Vaug
Well, the name's Vaug Skipstone, born and raised right here in Gemma. Competed in the 96th Coalition Carnage, I did. Made Finals, too.

Interviewer
I know. I read all about it. Now, what can you tell me about Juna.

Vaug chuckles.

Vaug
Juna was the most wonderful person I have ever known and I know a lot of folks. I'm not saying that because she's me great granddaughter or anything. She truly was a wonder to behold. She always looked on the brighter side of things, you know? Even as a child. She's the youngest of twelve and was ignored half her life. By her parents, by me own granddaughter even! And her siblings! I love them all, bless them, but they were so wrapped up in their own lives, they always forgot she existed. If it weren't for the various pranks she would pull to get their attention, I'm convinced they all would have forgotten her name. Instead, the pranks only made them see her as an annoyance more then anything else. When she wanted help with homework or some other thing, they were too busy or not around at all. Me granddaughter and her lazy, no good husband was no better. She respected them enough to spare them her outlandish pranks, but they are as selfish as their other kids. So she came to me. I was her favorite adult. She said so. After watching footage of me battles during the 96th competition, she began shadowing me everywhere, learning me and me ways.

He sighed under his breath.

Vaug
Damn, that kid was bright. I taught her the art of Flow of Hand; she learned fast. She entered the 99th to test herself. And for fun, shouldn't forget that. She even made Finals like me too. I remember it well.

PAST

99th Coalition Carnage: The Finals: Bout 5

Juna laughs boisterously as she dodges another volley of razor sharp feathers unleashed by her airborne opponent, the Tilris, Koshinataa. He, in turn, attempts to avoid her fireflies as they chase him through the manufactured air and in the airless void around Galaxy Station's Battle Arena. Composed completely of flames, the fireflies were powered by Juna's very soul, thus no oxygen was no problem. They were fast enough to keep Koshinataa darting over the audience, out to open space and back again. This dance had been going on for a handful of minutes; him running, returning, tossing a few feathers, then running again. She found this humourous.

Koshinataa did not, however, and decided to change tactics. A mini portal appeared beside him, keeping pace with his breakneck speed. He plunged his arm inside, up to the elbow, avoiding the trap the fireflies nearly had him in. When he retracted his arm, he held a strange looking device with a trigger. Juna had never seen its like before, but he's utilized those portals throughout the competition to produce exotic weapons that only had lethality as a common factor. This one released a type of cloud that when the fireflies went through, they turned into a gelatinous like substance.

He tossed the device over his shoulder for it to float lazily in the direction of the Papuru Star, which sat like a humongous, violet, marble behind. He then dive-bombed toward her, cutting through empty space, like a rat-hawk cuts through stone to feast on tasty lava grubs. Another mini portal appeared and he took out a jagged ruby encrusted sword. Her entire body is covered in flames at this point, which she then internalizes, absorbing every bit of it. Her body glew a deep crimson, blotting out the usual wavy patterns of burgundy and dark blue which mark those of her family. She entered her fighting stance with a flurry of fancy arm movements, smoke rising from where her molten feet melted the stone panels of the ring.