Europe, distant future. A meteorite impacted on the area of Russia, turning the area into a dead zone. Moreover, it emits a strange radiance which increases the impact survivors and their offsprings' endurance and strength, but also causing them to...
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It's already dark, but the arena is intensely illuminated. However, the light pollution isn't strong enough to drown out the stars on the sky which are especially bright tonight. The spectators are chanting our names. Comette's is a bit more frequent since she already showed what is she capable of in the Neoclash Showdown.
The people also wear our merchandise. I'm happy to see so many spectators wearing black T-shirts with a hurricane symbol (Ryan didn't forget to mention the sales went straight up after my victory in semifinals). Comette's symbol is a silver eight-pointed star with a tail of sparks aiming up.
I try to control my nervosity. I focus on petty things, like the touch of cold breeze on my face, shoulders and thighs. I stand on the platform which floats above the arena; it takes longer than usual, probably so the viewers can take a closer look on the combatants on the huge holographic screens.
I see myself on one of them and I can hardly believe I'm actually here. Scrawny, white-haired girl with insecure expression and thin legs with a rather wide gap between them. I don't look either strong, determined or beautiful. Still, some of the millions of people watching this fight support me. Some of them even entrusted their money to me, even though the odds are still in Comette's favor.
My opponent is a completely different league. She's older and much better-looking than me. She has shiny silver hair which look like molten steel and her eyes bear the same color. The silver pattern also applies to her full-body spandex suit with short sleeves and pant legs spiced up with savvy cutaways revealing her midriff and back. Like me, she's also wearing forearm guards, stylized in cyberpunk style.
About her proths. She has artificial feet, silver just like the rest of her outfit. They have several small Counter-gravity diodes attached to its soles which allow her to glide above the arena like she had high-speed roller-skates without wheels. She's also wearing elastic straps wrapped around her knees which help her to minimize the energy needed to reach the peak speed.
That's right - her main weapon is speed. Just like mine.
I can't let another hot woman defeat me. This one at least doesn't have wings.
The lid covering the arena opens. It's rather fitting for Comette - it's an arena nicknamed "Alien planet". Most of the surface is gray, covered in dust, with several protruding rocks creating obstacles. About one third of the arena is stylized like a seashore. Several floating rock platforms of various sizes hover above the calm water. There are also several craters which spit out a surge of fluorescent blue liquid in random intervals.
Finally, the platform descend and let us enter the arena. This will be a long fight since the final round of each Second-grade tournament is fought for five Fatal points.
Comette smiles at me. "Good luck," she tells me with surprisingly high-pitched, soothing voice.
"Same to you," I reply. "But don't expect this to be easy." I wish I felt as bold as I sound.
