The Crazy Four

Chapter 10: Hot & Cold

Jennifer Huh, a.k.a. Kirin, the Hot Queen, glided to a stop in front of them. She gave Eunchae a playful nudge with her elbow. "New girl?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

She extended a hand towards Sakura, her lips curving into a warm smile. "Kirin," she said, her voice surprisingly gentle, considering her intimidating reputation.

"Maru," Sakura replied, shaking Jennifer's hand. It was warm and firm, surprisingly strong for someone who looked like a runway model.

Winter bowed her head slightly, her lollipop bobbing with the movement. "Winter," she said, her voice soft and melodic.

"Maru," Sakura repeated, bowing back.

Jennifer's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Sakura. "You're new around here, aren't you?" she asked, her voice taking on a sharper edge.

Sakura nodded, feeling a little self-conscious under Jennifer's intense gaze.

"Welcome to the madness, then," Jennifer said, her smile returning. "Hope you survive the experience. Ask Qasim for a Calpis. My treat."

"Thanks," Sakura mumbled, surprised by Jennifer's unexpected generosity.

Jennifer turned back to Eunchae, her expression hardening. "That's a lot of credits in the pot, Angora," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "You really think you can take us down?"

Eunchae just smiled, her eyes glinting with challenge.

"Well then," Jennifer said, pushing off on her Flightskate and turning towards the arena. "See you two... in the ring."

Winter gave them a final nod, her lollipop disappearing between her lips, and followed Jennifer, her Flightskate gliding silently behind her.

Sakura stared after them, her mind reeling. Jennifer Huh is the Hot Queen? And the Cold Queen is supposed to be even better than Rabid Hong? It was too much to process.

"What was that about a... pot?" she asked Eunchae, her voice barely a whisper.

Eunchae just shrugged, her smile widening. "Don't worry about it," she said, her voice casual. "Just a little something to make things... interesting."

Sakura frowned, but before she could press for more details, a wave of excitement rippled through the crowd. The current match was ending, the scoreboard flashing with the final score, and the giant projector screen above the arena flickered to life, displaying the lineup for the next match:

HOT & COLD vs. ANGORA & MARU

"Hah! Showtime," Eunchae said, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. She grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her towards the arena entrance.

Sakura's heart hammered in her chest as they glided through the parting crowd. She could see Jennifer and Winter already taking their positions on the field, their expressions calm but focused.

Qasim's voice boomed over the loudspeaker, his booming tones echoing through the arena.

"Creatures of all shapes and sizes! Get ready for the main event! The clash of the titans! The battle of the century! In this corner, we have the reigning queens of Pandemonium, the undefeated, the unstoppable... HOT & COLD!"

The crowd roared its approval, the cheers deafening. Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine. This was it. No turning back now.

"And in this corner," Qasim continued, his voice rising to a fever pitch, "we have the challengers, the dynamic duo who are here to shake things up... ANGORA & MARU!"