Just the Maid

Chapter 33- Gon's Match

The battle began. Everything happened so fast. Gon ran past Hanzo, putting in some distance, but Hanzo caught up, said something inaudible and karate-chopped Gon's neck, making him fall to the floor. Hanzo said something else, but he was too far away. I saw Killua grimace. I turned back to the fight.

"Well, this would already be over if this was a normal fight... Here, wake up." Hanzo knelt behind Gon and placed his knee onto his back, cracking it. "You must feel terrible. I hit you hard enough to make your brain bounce around. Do you understand yet? You have no chance against me. Might as well give it up now." There was silence. And then...

"No... way..." SLAP! Hanzo hit Gon's head. Gon coughed and looked as if he was about to hurl.

"Think about it. If you surrender now you'll still be in decent shape for your next fight. There's no reason to be stubborn. Just surrender."

I could see Gon sweating profusely. He was in so much pain...

"Never gonna happen!" he shouted. This issued another slap by Hanzo. Gon was now lying on the ground in front of Hanzo.

"Surrender," he said again. Gon ignored him and was struggling to stand. He got halfway up when Hanzo punched him in the stomach.

"Gon! Don't be silly!" yelled Leorio. "You'll still have another chance! You should-"

"Leorio!" Kurapika interrupted. "If you were in Gon's position, would you surrender?"

"Hell, no! That guy thinks he's hot stuff..."

"Gon feels the same way!"

"I know! I know that... But there isn't any choice!"

"Then you're being hypocritical, but I understand how you feel." Gon had tried to stand up again, and we all winced when Hanzo kicked him in the stomach, throwing him a few feet away from his original position.

I could hear the former examiners speaking amongst themselves. A pound to the back. They were more than likely talking about the fight.

It went on for three hours. Hanzo kept kicking Gon's ass, literally. But Gon never gave up. He kept trying to get up and fight, but was always knocked down again. I had to really commend him on his spirit and stubborness. Reminds me of... well, me! By this time, the other applicants were talking among themselves.

"Enough already! I'll kill you dammit! I'll fight you in his place!" Leorio yelled.

"If you can't take it, leave," Hanzo replied. "It's only going to get worse."

"What was that!?" Leorio started to move forward, but two of the suitmen blocked his path.

"No one may interfere in a one-on-one match," said the referee. "If you step in, Gon will be the one disqualified."

"It's okay..." Gon whimpered. We all looked over at him. "Leorio. This is... nothing..." He was standing, his hands on his knees to support him. He brought his head up slowly. "I-I can still... fight..."

Hanzo looked at him and swept his feet underneath Gon's, tripping him. He kneeled next to Gon, holding his forearm with his right hand and his shoulder blade with his left.

"I am going to break your arm."

I felt a flash of panic run through me. 'He wouldn't... Would he!?' I saw Gon's face and knew that he would. There is no worse feeling than knowing you can't do anything when someone important to you needs you. I grimaced and knelt to the floor, covering my face in my knees. I couldn't watch. I couldn't go through this again.

"NEVER!"

A crack ran through the air. There was silence. Then chatter. Everything ran together so it was all just a cacophony of noise to me, amplified by ten. Then, I blocked it out. I couldn't hear anything.