Shuffle The Deck

Chapter 16 - One Kick

"You've got to be kidding."

"I'm so sorry ma'am, but we're all full for the night!"

She groaned loudly and hung her head, despair leaking from her exhausted state.

"Is there any place in Padokea that has an open hotel?" She hissed through gritted teeth.

"I recommend you try the motel across the street, maybe they're not completely booked?" The receptionist offered, trying to be as polite as she could.

"Trust me, I've been to every damn building in this city. Every single one is full."

"How is that even possible?" The woman sighed and looked around the area. With a small, empathetic smile, she pointed out the window on the left of the building, all the way to Heaven's Arena.

"Any chance you could reach a floor with a room there?" She asked somewhat hesitantly.

"That was the plan, but I'd rather regain my energy from the walk here in some run-of-the-mill motel," she yawned.

"Ma'am...You walked here?"

"Yeah, what else?"

"You do realize that they have airships traveling directly to this city from almost any foreign port, right?"

Lilah froze. She buried her face in her palms and groaned. "I'm such an idiot."

"Don't say that. I'm sure you'll do wonderfully in the arena. Good luck to you!"

"Yeah, thanks," she grumbled, turning around and gritting her teeth. Just her luck.

She was out on the streets by now, the moon almost at its peak. It was a fairly warm night, her hair complying with the breeze. She hadn't been in the arena for the last fourteen years, so there were some refreshers she needed to go through before competing again.

There was a pretty long line in front of the main doors, and she queued herself as fast as possible. 

It didn't take long before she reached the counter, where a woman printed out a slip of paper for her and asked her to sign it. She did as she was told, and was handed another paper with a number on it. It was small, so she tucked it in her newly bought thigh-high boot and went off to the first-floor battlegrounds.

It was rather cramped for an evening, and many people were fighting in the rings.

Wait for my number to be called. I think I remember this vaguely.

She connected her fingers with a stretch, and leaned back on her palms, crossing one leg over the other. There weren't a lot of women competitors around this area, but it didn't bother her in the slightest. Instead, she watched people go head to head, rooting for one in her head.

"Numbers 1089 and 1401, to Ring E!"

Lilah picked her head up and rose from her seat. With a brush of her skirt, she began to walk. People eyed her curiously as she made her way towards the ring, unsure of what to think.

A man was there already, dressed in a suit. His tangled hair fell to the sides of his face, and a sneer was smeared onto his unkempt complexion. He chortled as she stepped into the ring, holding her wrist behind her back.

"Seriously? I have to fight a bitch?"

She cringed at his choice of words but didn't respond. He continued to crudely remark her, and the referee himself had to roll his eyes at this man's actions.

"Get outta here, lady!"

"Don'tcha know this is for real fighters?"

"I bet she won't even last a minute."