Love Far Beyond the Ashes

Underworld Champion

Suisei pov: We somehow managed to get the council room to where it was supposed to be, and Mikochi was clearly motion sick. I glared at her, not knowing how to deal with this, and I didn't feel sorry for her.

I just cared about getting permission from Sana to leave, which she happily gave us. Mumei used the last bit of energy she absorbed to activate the underworld gate as we entered it.

"It's hot..." Miko panted as soon as we reached the other side.

"Of course it is; it's the underworld dumbass..." I commented

"Hey!" She shot back, but I ignored her.

"The coliseum-that's where we're headed," I told everyone.

It was actually pretty close to where we popped out of, and we all managed to sign up for it-not that we all wanted to fight; I just wanted a good fight-then we'd leave. The matches were randomly selected. I saw I was the first match and was facing someone named Inui Toko, and for some reason that name was familiar to me. People were around snickering and saying that I was the example for this tournament.

I sighed just as I went into the arena, where the woman already stood. I looked up, and our eyes met. I put my hand to my chest, feeling my heart. It felt as if it was going to explode as she glared at me with her one red and one yellow eye, her pitch black hair, and her ears moving as the wind from the closing door fanned her. She smirked at me.

"Oh Sui-chan?" She said, "What brings you here?"

"You know me?" I asked

She bit her lip, and I watched as blood formed and fell down her face, rapidly dripping onto the ground.

"Of course you forgot me..." She somberly stated

She began to run at me as fast as she could. "I didn't say begin!" The referee shouted. She rolled her eyes and ran past him. I watched as his head was sliced off and slammed onto the ground, erupting on impact. She did that with just her claws.

She reached me and slashed at me at blinding speeds. I barely dodged it by jumping back.

"Wait, Toko, tell me what I forgot." I requested

"You tell me!" She screamed as she did a jumping slash, but I sidestepped away from it. She immediately landed and got on all fours, acting like a feral animal.

"I'll try to remember, so just tell me when we met; I'm sure I can remember if you do that much!" I said

"Grrrr" She growled and immediately launched herself at me. I tilted myself to the right, only getting cut by her claws slightly, and I felt blood drip down my one wound.

"Come on, Sui-chan, fight!" Mikochi yelled

"Shut up, Mikochi, not now." Azkichi stated

She knew how I felt. I won't feel comfortable fighting if I don't know who this girl is. She seems to know me, so I want to at least remember who this is before we continue fighting.

"Oh, Azki-han is here as well?" Toko said calmly

"Yes, you know her too." I questioned

She just sighed, "Fight me." She growled

"Huh?" I asked.

"Fight me!" She shouted

"Toko, please, I will fight after you tell me what I forgot." I said

"Shut the hell up." She growled, sending chills down my spine, "Fight me to the death."

"What?" I was shocked by her sudden mood change.

"First one to die wins..." She laughed

She dashed after me, leaving me no choice but to raise my axe, and I clashed my axe with her nails. Sparks began to fly, "tsk," and I scoffed as I gritted my teeth and swung the axe at her, cutting into her face slightly. We have matching wounds now.

"Be serious, you could have sliced my head off there." Toko stated

"I don't want that," I said.

"You have no problem killing people you don't know, so kill me!" Toko screamed

"No, tell me who you are; I want to remember because this clearly hurts you." I said

"How the hell don't you remember me?" She asked

I suddenly thought about how I could possibly have forgotten that I parted part of my hair, revealing a scar.

"I had a head injury that has made my head fuzzy ever since I have trouble remembering the past," I told her.

Her body loosened up, and she looked more relaxed. "I'm your pet...." She commented as she began to blush, and her eyes quivered.

"Eh?" I was confused by this, and everyone in the stands was also perplexed: "You're my what?" I felt myself begin to burn up at the thought.

"Now that you know, can we fight?" Toko questioned

Hearing that awakened something in my head, and my memory began to clear up a little bit more, but it was still foggy. I had no choice but to fight. She slowly approached me, and as soon as she got close, I slashed at her head. She ducked under the slash and slashed up, almost slicing my head open.

Before she was attacking with anger and malice, but now with calmness and sadness but also another feeling, my brain was also trying to maintain multiple emotions at once, so I was distracted, but I shook it off and kicked her in the stomach instead of using my axe to just push her away and not mortally wound her.

"You are stronger than ever," she giggled.

Thump, thump, thump

I began to hear my heartbeat quicken after each beat because she complimented me on what was going on with me.

"You are strong too," I commented.

"Yup, I became the champion for you!" She said

For me, I had to ponder that, but for now, we need to fight. She ran at me once again, this time in circles. I watched her go around, making me dizzy as she launched herself at me. My eyes widened as she crashed her lips against mine.

I have no idea what to think about this girl, but I want to remember her clearly.