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Description
Byako Round Robin 2 - Round 4 - Food Frenzy in the Pit

-- ~~ -- ~~ -- ~~ -- ~~

“So! We have to head to where now?”

“The plushie with the card said something about the ‘Pit’ of Byako.”

“Something about it, laddy? What do you mean?” Vidar had been calmed down since the previous night, but Asa knew… that it would take more than even a full week to calm the Dwarf down. But at least the gun-slinging Dwarf was biting his tongue around his tall companion now.

Now, the two were walking down the main roads through Byako. They felt safer since the end of the reign of freedom for those… weird, perverted, creepy… and downright wrong perverts. Which was largely with thanks to Vidar and Asa, who rounded them up and sent the fan boys on their way far away.

“Well, you didn’t let him finish his statement; it’s  hard to say quite exactly what the plushie was referring to.”

“Hmph, shouldn’t be using dolls anyway… So, where’s this ‘Pit’ of Byako?”

“Why not ask one of the locals?”

“About the Pit of Byako?” an elderly woman interceded.

“Aye, do ye know of it?”

“Of course I do! I’m the Mistress of the Schools here! The magical schools, anyway; there is no ‘formal’ education here! No sirree!”

“That’s great, lassy; really, it is. Now, where’s-”

“And another thing! There aren’t enough libraries! I mean, really, there should be more libraries in a city this size!”

Vidar was getting the impression he was in for a long talk.

“Ma’am, if I may interject…”

And now Vidar knew he was in for a long talk. Asa spoke in a dignified manner only when absolutely necessary.

“We are in dire need of reaching the Pit of Byako sector; it is a matter of great importance, as we are competitors in the tournament.”

“My, what a gentleman!” The elderly woman in purple and green nodded her head a few times. “Yes, head down this road ‘til you reach the Chicken Crossing sign, then turn left down Alligator Alley; about half-way, you should see an opening wide enough for an elephant, and you simply must take that route. And then leap over the fence, calmly walk across the lawn, and you will be at the Pit of Byako.”

“Wow, you certainly know the area well; thank you for your kind assistance, ma’am.” Asa bowed his head. Vidar followed suit a moment later.

“Oh, well, of course! You’re very welcome; my knowledge of this city is not to be- Hm? Where’d they run off to?”

Vidar had decided that - rather than listen to Asa chat with this ‘Mistress of Schools - he would prefer to get his next round over. Suddenly, Asa’s stomach started to rumble as they were approaching the Chicken Crossing sign. “Should we wait for a chicken, Vidar? Pleeeeeease?” If you think Asa is above begging… you are wrong. Dead wrong.

“No.”

“But I’m staaarving. Pleeeease?”

“No.”

“I’m going to pass out in the middle of our match!”

“No.”

“I’m as thin as a carrot, Vidar! Pleeease let’s eat!”

“No. Wait, why did she call this Alligator Alley?” Vidar and Asa looked at each other.

There was a low gurgle-growl sound nearby. And then a small chorus of them.

“Oh, now I’m going to be the dinner?” Asa collapsed helplessly on the ground.

After a hasty face palm, Vidar drew his paintball pistol and rifle, holding one in each hand. He had modified the rifle to accept reloading cartridges, fed into the gun from below. The cartridges of paintballs were mostly in his pockets, and each held at least a hundred pellets.

*& ~~ Meanwhile == &*

“Didn’t you say we had two opponents scheduled to fight us here?” a small girl with long, poofy, pink hair and brown eyes inquired. She looked maybe ten years old, and her companion/lover - a blonde-haired boy with purple eyes - appeared no older.

The man she was speaking to was Gareth Lawton, who now had a strap around his left arm with white lettering “BTV” - Byako Television. He was an orderly man, except his black hair which fell where it wished. Gareth wore a brown pinstripe vest over a light yellow shirt, his beige tie neatly tucked into the vest. He wore earthy brown slacks and dark brown shoes, his matching brown hat and brown suit jacket set down on the bench next to him. Gareth wore a warm smile on his blue-eyed, kind face.

The enemies of Vidar and Asa were actually two, cloned angels: Almond - the boy - and Coral - the girl. Their wings had not yet sprouted, but they are a couple.

“Yes, there’s a duo of people - a tall man with red hair and a Dwarf with a long beard - that are headed this way right now. I’m surprised they haven’t made it here, yet… From their past records, though, I’d suppose that’s to be expected.”

“What do you mean?” Coral inquired. Almond usually only sent telepathic messages to Coral, since they had that sort of bond. And then Coral would usually speak up for Almond; why is completely unknown.

“Well, they have a record history,” Gareth started as he pulled a manila folder out of his jacket, “of being very cruel to the plushie deliverers.” He pulled out three pictures, one of a redhead plushie who had a singed head, a second of a plushie hanging from a telephone pole, and then “Before” and “After” pictures of the last one to go to Vidar… who had to have major surgery on ninety percent of his cloth body. “Also, Vidar conquered a small army of penguins, using them during the “Evil Costume Change” part of the tournament. He has since relinquished control. As for Asa, well… he has a shovel.”

“… And that’s it?”

“That’s all I’m at lease to tell you,” Gareth stated, putting everything back in the folder.

*& ~~ And then == &*

Splush A puddle was trampled by the tall human as he dashed forward, making long strides with the occasional Plang of his metal shovel head against one of the alley-gators.

Splat, splat, splat “Keep runnin’, laddy! We’re going to make it!” Vidar fired off paintball after paintball, splattering the tiny projectiles into the alley-gators’ faces and mouths.

“There! The opening! She’s right; it IS wide enough for an elephant.” Asa paused directly in front of the gap between the two buildings - a butcher’s shop and a bakery - and peered in-between. From the looks of things, there was a war: entire muffin platoons and sausage squadrons warred in the alleyway.

A small chibi in a mask was sitting on top of one of the buildings, watching bemusedly. “Oh, did I forget to mention… the war of foods? Hee hee, oopsie.”

Asa stared at the food all over the place, his mouth starting to drool. “Asa.”

“Hm? Oh, right! Shovel time!” Asa slammed his shovel right into his own face. “Now, where were we?”

“Running for our lives from a number of alley-gators?”

“Ah, right!” Asa took off at a breakneck pace, squashing a loaf of bread and a chunk of venison as he went. Then he remembered where he was, and leaned down, picking various food soldiers up as he went. “Cannibal!” some of the meats cried out, “Murderer!” cried out several bread products. Asa ignored them as he continued to pick up foods, stuffing them wherever he could for whenever he had a moment to feast.

“Asa! In front of you! Watch out for that-”

Asa slammed into something wiry and springy that had him flying back a foot or so.

“fence!”

“Did we reach the fence we’re supposed to leap over already?”

The duo then heard the growls of the alley-gators behind them. And the meats and breads turned aside their differences to fight the greater threat of the alley-gators as the armored, giant lizards trampled and charged forward.

*& ~~ Meanwhile == &*

“Almond and I are getting tired of waiting! We’re going to win this match by forfeit if those two don’t get over here soon!”

“Don’t worry; there are plenty of hours left to the day. Maybe they stopped to get something to eat?”

“Oh, sure, they get the chance to have a feast while we waste away waiting on them?! Where’s the logic there?”

“Hey, if they’ve had food, then I’ll get you kids something when the fight’s over, okay?” The man’s kind demeanor won the angel clones over.

*& ~~ And then == &*

Vidar scrambled over the chain link fence, his mildly thick fingers and booted feet moving as fast as they could.

“Hold on… She said to ‘leap’ over the fence…”

“I don’t think we should’ve trusted that madwoman in the first place!” Vidar yelled as he plopped down safely on the other side, and immediately ran like a maniac.

“She also said to walk calmly,” Asa commented to himself as he leaped nimbly towards the wall of the bakery, kicked off onto the butcher’s wall, and landed softly on the other side of the tall fence.

“Ooh, so he actually listened to the advice? Too bad his friend didn’t. Hee hee.” The Masked Chibi had struck again! A pack of prairie dogs swarmed out of burrows in the ground, dozens of them, everywhere, biting, gnawing, teething, chewing.

BANG!!! This was followed by a blinding flash combined with a sonic boom that knocked the tall stick-like Asa to the ground, dazed. He felt something grip his white jacket, yanking him along in a mad dash across the yard littered with KO’d prairie dogs. Asa then had the sudden sensation that he was soaring through the sky… so blissfully unaware of the telephone pole in front of him.

Csshck “Yow!” Asa reached for his head, nursing a large, red bump.

“Aha! Our enemies are here!”

“And the Pit’s guard should have been here half an hour ago… Hm.”

“The pit’s guard? Who’s that?”

“This!”

“What?”
“Huh?”
“Who’re you, laddy?”
“Owch…”

“Is!!”

“BYAKO!!!”

“Can we eat now?” Asa asked as a behemoth-like guard in shimmering armor started to kick everyone down the massive pit. The pit had a wooden sign with the faded words:
“Do Not Enter
The City of Byako is
Not Responsible
For Any Personal Injuries
-Evil Emperor Snow”

Asa was the last one in, and caught one of the highest pipes quite easily. “Well, that went well.” And then, as Asa looked back up, he noticed a fifth person falling. “Uh oh…” The man - now in his jacket - landed on his feet on the pipe Asa was holding. “Yowch!!” The doctor retracted his arm by instinct and fell a good bit, bumping on several pipes as he went.

At last, Vidar caught Asa by his arm, seated atop another pipe. “Well, looks like we got ourselves into another fine mess, laddy!”

“I’d say you’re right, Vidar.” Asa nodded before scrambling atop the pipe jutting out of the rock wall. There were hundreds - nay, thousands - of the pipes, and in varying lengths, jutting out of the sides of the stony walls. “So, where did our opponents get to?”

“They fell a ways further, laddy. Shall we head onwards?”

“I don’t see a problem with it.”

“Oh, hello there, Vidar and Asa.” Gareth leaped down, his calm complexion seemingly omnipresent as himself. “I’m sure you know the special event for this round, hm?”

“We don’t wait long enough to hear that; what’s the scoop?”  the deep-voiced Vidar inquired.

“Simply that your fight must be broadcast on BTV - that’s Byako Television - and narrated by one of the people working for Snow. I got assigned here.”

Vidar nodded once. “Where’s the camera at, then?” Gareth reached into one of his pockets, pulling it out. “I really should have caught you all falling in… but no worries. I’m sure the four of you will make a great fight. Good luck.”

Vidar nodded once more. “I’m sure we’ll need it. Thank you, laddy.”

“And attack!” The two angel clones leapt up, lashing out with energy swords. Gareth nimbly leaped up, grabbing a pole with his left hand, holding the small camcorder with the other. Asa quickly utilized his shovel, parrying both strikes, before twirling it, sending the two angels to opposite ends of the pit.

Note: The Pity of Byako is said to have no bottom, and thus, the entire fight will be done mid-air and while carefully balanced on the pipes.

“Well now! We didn’t even get past the introductions, now did we?”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re Asa and Vidar, the greedy doctor and pyromaniac Dwarf.”

“Pyromaniac? I’ll show you some pyrotechnics!” Vidar pulled out his boomstick. Asa gripped his shovel more firmly, his carefree grin thick on his face.

“And you are…?”

“I’m Coral and he’s Almond. Now, let’s fight! Two on two!”

“Fine by me, lassy.”

“Very well, then. But if we win, then you have to buy us some lunch.”

“You didn’t eat, either? Then what were you doing to take so long?!!”

“Running from alley-gators and over breads and-” munch, munch “meats.” Asa had started to eat the food he had stored in his pockets, and Vidar was now joining him.

“They’re eating… right in front of us?”  Almond asked in a moment of startled shock. It was rare for him to speak, as Coral usually just read his mind and spoke for him.

“You took the words right out of my mouth…” A funny switch-around from the angel-clone lovers’ usual routine.

“Ahh, that’s better,” Vidar stated after viciously wolfing down a t-bone steak, two hot dogs, and a thick burger.

“Yes, now we can fight,” Asa added, nodding, after having a few sandwiches, and a pie. Of the blueberry flavor. Asa loved blueberry pie… still does, for all I know.

All that… in under two minutes. These two would win an eating contest, probably.

“We’re going to die of starvation…” Coral stated. And then shook her head rigorously. “No, no, no! We may be hungry and they well-fed, but we will NOT lose! Come on, Almond!” The other wingless angel-clone nodded, and the two of them charged at Vidar and Asa.

“You’ll take the high road,” Asa sang as he leaped down,
“And I’ll take the low road,” Vidar added on to Asa, leaping up.
“And I’ll be in Scotland before you!” they both sang as the two angel-clones slammed into each other, head-first.

Asa then grabbed the pole above him, swinging around and yelling, “Fore!!” before slugging the couple with his shovel downwards, using centripetal force to give him additional momentum. (In other words, Asa used science to deal a hard hit.)

“Wow, it’s a… one-sided fight so far. Can the lovely couple of Almond and Coral pull out of this one?” Vidar turned upwards at the announcing Gareth. “I’m supposed to do commentary; it’s in the fine print… apparently.”

Vidar nodded once, and then started to fire seemingly random shots. Asa leapt into a defensive post, watching the couple quickly disperse to avoid Vidar’s fire… even as pipes started to rain down on their heads. And that’s when Almond shot off an energy blast, which Asa raised his shovel against. In the darkness of the Pit, the Energy Balls and Energy Swords shone like lighthouses. Vidar’s gun also made a bright flash every time he fired, giving his position away. Asa’s shovel gleamed slightly whenever Vidar’s gun went off, or when one of the Energy Balls came too close.

Asa repelled each Energy Ball as it came, and Vidar continued to shoot down pipes, some of which would have to be cut down by the Energy Swords both Almond and Coral wielded. From Vidar’s perspective, they looked more like glowing balloon sabers than anything, which almost made him chuckle. Almost.

Vidar struck the pipe he was on with his boomstick, nodding once. “My work is done, laddy.”

“Excellent, Vidar!” Asa grinned wide and gleefully, laughing.

“What’s done?” Coral asked as Almond moved from the pipe he was on, which was falling, to where he knew a pipe had been recently. What he met with… was air. The child-like figure plummeted a good fifteen feet before he caught a pipe, and accidentally dropped his sword, which cleaved through dozens of other pipes on its way down…
Its glow was eventually lost to the darkness.

“Almond! Speak to me! Where are you?!!” There was a pause. “Oh, thank God you’re alright… You!! What did you do?!!”

“I took out every pipe in about fifteen feet down from here. In other words, you’ll have a fifteen foot jump from the highest pipe you can reach to get to where we are now. Surrender, and we’ll find a rope for yea.” Vidar jumped off the pipe he was on to the left, and Asa to the right, as Coral shot an Energy Ball barrage at them. “You’re only hurting your situation more by doing that, lassy.”

“You think you’ve outsmarted us?! We still have a chance to win!” Coral yelled out, firing more Energy Balls, now aiming at Asa.

“Where are those foods when you want more?” Asa asked the air in a whiney voice, and was then struck with one of the Energy Balls, plummeting to the same level as Coral.

“Hey! That’s- Why you… Grah! Fine! We’ll play things your way!” Vidar pulled out his paintball rifle, and started to fire upon Coral, giving Asa a few moments to regain his composure. And then Almond came up at him, Energy Ball in hand to strike close-range!

The Energy Ball’s light shone on Asa’s eyes, which had narrowed at some point - whether from being hit by Coral’s attack, or having a light right in his face is unsure… Asa twirled his shovel in his hand, swatting Almond in the face, causing him to swirl around and slam into the rock wall, which he bounced off swirling again… and into Asa’s shovel again. And then into the wall again, and then Asa’s shovel, and one last time into the wall.

The darker Asa, his eyes narrowed, then knocked his enemy’s feet out from under the angel clone, sending him crashing downwards.

“No! Almond!! Think, speak, do something!” Coral leapt into action, but met only a foot out from where she had been standing - in shock and horror at Asa’s sudden brutality - with the mentally snapped glare. Those eyes… He’s going to-

Asa tapped the tip of his shovel, and the head popped off suddenly, revealing a very pointed spear; Coral barely had the time to duck before Asa’s weapon struck!

“No! I can’t- Grrrr, Asa! Shovel time!!”

Asa’s eyes suddenly returned to normal. “Right-o!” And he plopped the metal head back on, slamming it into his face.

Coral and Asa began to plummet, neither able to fly or otherwise. And that’s when… the most peculiar thing happened. Metal clamps snatched them both. “Vidar to the rescue!” The Dwarf had reshaped some of the pipes into three claws - one for each angel clone and one for Asa - and tied them with some rope Gareth Lawton just so happened to have on him.

And then they got out safe and sound… to the top, where the man tried to kick them back in. But this time…

Vidar held his boomstick up to the man’s head. “If you kick me ONE. MORE. TIME. So help me no law made by ANY being will keep me from blasting you.”

“Oh, hey, Vidar?”

“Aye, laddy? Are you feeling better yet?”

“When’s lunch served?”

“Lunch is on me, for all four of you. I’m sure the footage gathered today will do more than suffice to pay for any bills you might owe me afterwards…”

“That idea’s splendid; isn’t it, Vidar?”

Vidar smiled slightly. “Sure, laddy; it’ll do. C’mon, let’s go get some food.”

Description
Byako Round Robin 2 - Round 4 - Food Frenzy in the Pit

-- ~~ -- ~~ -- ~~ -- ~~

“So! We have to head to where now?”

“The plushie with the card said something about the ‘Pit’ of Byako.”

“Something about it, laddy? What do you mean?” Vidar had been calmed down since the previous night, but Asa knew… that it would take more than even a full week to calm the Dwarf down. But at least the gun-slinging Dwarf was biting his tongue around his tall companion now.

Now, the two were walking down the main roads through Byako. They felt safer since the end of the reign of freedom for those… weird, perverted, creepy… and downright wrong perverts. Which was largely with thanks to Vidar and Asa, who rounded them up and sent the fan boys on their way far away.

“Well, you didn’t let him finish his statement; it’s  hard to say quite exactly what the plushie was referring to.”

“Hmph, shouldn’t be using dolls anyway… So, where’s this ‘Pit’ of Byako?”

“Why not ask one of the locals?”

“About the Pit of Byako?” an elderly woman interceded.

“Aye, do ye know of it?”

“Of course I do! I’m the Mistress of the Schools here! The magical schools, anyway; there is no ‘formal’ education here! No sirree!”

“That’s great, lassy; really, it is. Now, where’s-”

“And another thing! There aren’t enough libraries! I mean, really, there should be more libraries in a city this size!”

Vidar was getting the impression he was in for a long talk.

“Ma’am, if I may interject…”

And now Vidar knew he was in for a long talk. Asa spoke in a dignified manner only when absolutely necessary.

“We are in dire need of reaching the Pit of Byako sector; it is a matter of great importance, as we are competitors in the tournament.”

“My, what a gentleman!” The elderly woman in purple and green nodded her head a few times. “Yes, head down this road ‘til you reach the Chicken Crossing sign, then turn left down Alligator Alley; about half-way, you should see an opening wide enough for an elephant, and you simply must take that route. And then leap over the fence, calmly walk across the lawn, and you will be at the Pit of Byako.”

“Wow, you certainly know the area well; thank you for your kind assistance, ma’am.” Asa bowed his head. Vidar followed suit a moment later.

“Oh, well, of course! You’re very welcome; my knowledge of this city is not to be- Hm? Where’d they run off to?”

Vidar had decided that - rather than listen to Asa chat with this ‘Mistress of Schools - he would prefer to get his next round over. Suddenly, Asa’s stomach started to rumble as they were approaching the Chicken Crossing sign. “Should we wait for a chicken, Vidar? Pleeeeeease?” If you think Asa is above begging… you are wrong. Dead wrong.

“No.”

“But I’m staaarving. Pleeeease?”

“No.”

“I’m going to pass out in the middle of our match!”

“No.”

“I’m as thin as a carrot, Vidar! Pleeease let’s eat!”

“No. Wait, why did she call this Alligator Alley?” Vidar and Asa looked at each other.

There was a low gurgle-growl sound nearby. And then a small chorus of them.

“Oh, now I’m going to be the dinner?” Asa collapsed helplessly on the ground.

After a hasty face palm, Vidar drew his paintball pistol and rifle, holding one in each hand. He had modified the rifle to accept reloading cartridges, fed into the gun from below. The cartridges of paintballs were mostly in his pockets, and each held at least a hundred pellets.

*& ~~ Meanwhile == &*

“Didn’t you say we had two opponents scheduled to fight us here?” a small girl with long, poofy, pink hair and brown eyes inquired. She looked maybe ten years old, and her companion/lover - a blonde-haired boy with purple eyes - appeared no older.

The man she was speaking to was Gareth Lawton, who now had a strap around his left arm with white lettering “BTV” - Byako Television. He was an orderly man, except his black hair which fell where it wished. Gareth wore a brown pinstripe vest over a light yellow shirt, his beige tie neatly tucked into the vest. He wore earthy brown slacks and dark brown shoes, his matching brown hat and brown suit jacket set down on the bench next to him. Gareth wore a warm smile on his blue-eyed, kind face.

The enemies of Vidar and Asa were actually two, cloned angels: Almond - the boy - and Coral - the girl. Their wings had not yet sprouted, but they are a couple.

“Yes, there’s a duo of people - a tall man with red hair and a Dwarf with a long beard - that are headed this way right now. I’m surprised they haven’t made it here, yet… From their past records, though, I’d suppose that’s to be expected.”

“What do you mean?” Coral inquired. Almond usually only sent telepathic messages to Coral, since they had that sort of bond. And then Coral would usually speak up for Almond; why is completely unknown.

“Well, they have a record history,” Gareth started as he pulled a manila folder out of his jacket, “of being very cruel to the plushie deliverers.” He pulled out three pictures, one of a redhead plushie who had a singed head, a second of a plushie hanging from a telephone pole, and then “Before” and “After” pictures of the last one to go to Vidar… who had to have major surgery on ninety percent of his cloth body. “Also, Vidar conquered a small army of penguins, using them during the “Evil Costume Change” part of the tournament. He has since relinquished control. As for Asa, well… he has a shovel.”

“… And that’s it?”

“That’s all I’m at lease to tell you,” Gareth stated, putting everything back in the folder.

*& ~~ And then == &*

Splush A puddle was trampled by the tall human as he dashed forward, making long strides with the occasional Plang of his metal shovel head against one of the alley-gators.

Splat, splat, splat “Keep runnin’, laddy! We’re going to make it!” Vidar fired off paintball after paintball, splattering the tiny projectiles into the alley-gators’ faces and mouths.

“There! The opening! She’s right; it IS wide enough for an elephant.” Asa paused directly in front of the gap between the two buildings - a butcher’s shop and a bakery - and peered in-between. From the looks of things, there was a war: entire muffin platoons and sausage squadrons warred in the alleyway.

A small chibi in a mask was sitting on top of one of the buildings, watching bemusedly. “Oh, did I forget to mention… the war of foods? Hee hee, oopsie.”

Asa stared at the food all over the place, his mouth starting to drool. “Asa.”

“Hm? Oh, right! Shovel time!” Asa slammed his shovel right into his own face. “Now, where were we?”

“Running for our lives from a number of alley-gators?”

“Ah, right!” Asa took off at a breakneck pace, squashing a loaf of bread and a chunk of venison as he went. Then he remembered where he was, and leaned down, picking various food soldiers up as he went. “Cannibal!” some of the meats cried out, “Murderer!” cried out several bread products. Asa ignored them as he continued to pick up foods, stuffing them wherever he could for whenever he had a moment to feast.

“Asa! In front of you! Watch out for that-”

Asa slammed into something wiry and springy that had him flying back a foot or so.

“fence!”

“Did we reach the fence we’re supposed to leap over already?”

The duo then heard the growls of the alley-gators behind them. And the meats and breads turned aside their differences to fight the greater threat of the alley-gators as the armored, giant lizards trampled and charged forward.

*& ~~ Meanwhile == &*

“Almond and I are getting tired of waiting! We’re going to win this match by forfeit if those two don’t get over here soon!”

“Don’t worry; there are plenty of hours left to the day. Maybe they stopped to get something to eat?”

“Oh, sure, they get the chance to have a feast while we waste away waiting on them?! Where’s the logic there?”

“Hey, if they’ve had food, then I’ll get you kids something when the fight’s over, okay?” The man’s kind demeanor won the angel clones over.

*& ~~ And then == &*

Vidar scrambled over the chain link fence, his mildly thick fingers and booted feet moving as fast as they could.

“Hold on… She said to ‘leap’ over the fence…”

“I don’t think we should’ve trusted that madwoman in the first place!” Vidar yelled as he plopped down safely on the other side, and immediately ran like a maniac.

“She also said to walk calmly,” Asa commented to himself as he leaped nimbly towards the wall of the bakery, kicked off onto the butcher’s wall, and landed softly on the other side of the tall fence.

“Ooh, so he actually listened to the advice? Too bad his friend didn’t. Hee hee.” The Masked Chibi had struck again! A pack of prairie dogs swarmed out of burrows in the ground, dozens of them, everywhere, biting, gnawing, teething, chewing.

BANG!!! This was followed by a blinding flash combined with a sonic boom that knocked the tall stick-like Asa to the ground, dazed. He felt something grip his white jacket, yanking him along in a mad dash across the yard littered with KO’d prairie dogs. Asa then had the sudden sensation that he was soaring through the sky… so blissfully unaware of the telephone pole in front of him.

Csshck “Yow!” Asa reached for his head, nursing a large, red bump.

“Aha! Our enemies are here!”

“And the Pit’s guard should have been here half an hour ago… Hm.”

“The pit’s guard? Who’s that?”

“This!”

“What?”
“Huh?”
“Who’re you, laddy?”
“Owch…”

“Is!!”

“BYAKO!!!”

“Can we eat now?” Asa asked as a behemoth-like guard in shimmering armor started to kick everyone down the massive pit. The pit had a wooden sign with the faded words:
“Do Not Enter
The City of Byako is
Not Responsible
For Any Personal Injuries
-Evil Emperor Snow”

Asa was the last one in, and caught one of the highest pipes quite easily. “Well, that went well.” And then, as Asa looked back up, he noticed a fifth person falling. “Uh oh…” The man - now in his jacket - landed on his feet on the pipe Asa was holding. “Yowch!!” The doctor retracted his arm by instinct and fell a good bit, bumping on several pipes as he went.

At last, Vidar caught Asa by his arm, seated atop another pipe. “Well, looks like we got ourselves into another fine mess, laddy!”

“I’d say you’re right, Vidar.” Asa nodded before scrambling atop the pipe jutting out of the rock wall. There were hundreds - nay, thousands - of the pipes, and in varying lengths, jutting out of the sides of the stony walls. “So, where did our opponents get to?”

“They fell a ways further, laddy. Shall we head onwards?”

“I don’t see a problem with it.”

“Oh, hello there, Vidar and Asa.” Gareth leaped down, his calm complexion seemingly omnipresent as himself. “I’m sure you know the special event for this round, hm?”

“We don’t wait long enough to hear that; what’s the scoop?”  the deep-voiced Vidar inquired.

“Simply that your fight must be broadcast on BTV - that’s Byako Television - and narrated by one of the people working for Snow. I got assigned here.”

Vidar nodded once. “Where’s the camera at, then?” Gareth reached into one of his pockets, pulling it out. “I really should have caught you all falling in… but no worries. I’m sure the four of you will make a great fight. Good luck.”

Vidar nodded once more. “I’m sure we’ll need it. Thank you, laddy.”

“And attack!” The two angel clones leapt up, lashing out with energy swords. Gareth nimbly leaped up, grabbing a pole with his left hand, holding the small camcorder with the other. Asa quickly utilized his shovel, parrying both strikes, before twirling it, sending the two angels to opposite ends of the pit.

Note: The Pity of Byako is said to have no bottom, and thus, the entire fight will be done mid-air and while carefully balanced on the pipes.

“Well now! We didn’t even get past the introductions, now did we?”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re Asa and Vidar, the greedy doctor and pyromaniac Dwarf.”

“Pyromaniac? I’ll show you some pyrotechnics!” Vidar pulled out his boomstick. Asa gripped his shovel more firmly, his carefree grin thick on his face.

“And you are…?”

“I’m Coral and he’s Almond. Now, let’s fight! Two on two!”

“Fine by me, lassy.”

“Very well, then. But if we win, then you have to buy us some lunch.”

“You didn’t eat, either? Then what were you doing to take so long?!!”

“Running from alley-gators and over breads and-” munch, munch “meats.” Asa had started to eat the food he had stored in his pockets, and Vidar was now joining him.

“They’re eating… right in front of us?”  Almond asked in a moment of startled shock. It was rare for him to speak, as Coral usually just read his mind and spoke for him.

“You took the words right out of my mouth…” A funny switch-around from the angel-clone lovers’ usual routine.

“Ahh, that’s better,” Vidar stated after viciously wolfing down a t-bone steak, two hot dogs, and a thick burger.

“Yes, now we can fight,” Asa added, nodding, after having a few sandwiches, and a pie. Of the blueberry flavor. Asa loved blueberry pie… still does, for all I know.

All that… in under two minutes. These two would win an eating contest, probably.

“We’re going to die of starvation…” Coral stated. And then shook her head rigorously. “No, no, no! We may be hungry and they well-fed, but we will NOT lose! Come on, Almond!” The other wingless angel-clone nodded, and the two of them charged at Vidar and Asa.

“You’ll take the high road,” Asa sang as he leaped down,
“And I’ll take the low road,” Vidar added on to Asa, leaping up.
“And I’ll be in Scotland before you!” they both sang as the two angel-clones slammed into each other, head-first.

Asa then grabbed the pole above him, swinging around and yelling, “Fore!!” before slugging the couple with his shovel downwards, using centripetal force to give him additional momentum. (In other words, Asa used science to deal a hard hit.)

“Wow, it’s a… one-sided fight so far. Can the lovely couple of Almond and Coral pull out of this one?” Vidar turned upwards at the announcing Gareth. “I’m supposed to do commentary; it’s in the fine print… apparently.”

Vidar nodded once, and then started to fire seemingly random shots. Asa leapt into a defensive post, watching the couple quickly disperse to avoid Vidar’s fire… even as pipes started to rain down on their heads. And that’s when Almond shot off an energy blast, which Asa raised his shovel against. In the darkness of the Pit, the Energy Balls and Energy Swords shone like lighthouses. Vidar’s gun also made a bright flash every time he fired, giving his position away. Asa’s shovel gleamed slightly whenever Vidar’s gun went off, or when one of the Energy Balls came too close.

Asa repelled each Energy Ball as it came, and Vidar continued to shoot down pipes, some of which would have to be cut down by the Energy Swords both Almond and Coral wielded. From Vidar’s perspective, they looked more like glowing balloon sabers than anything, which almost made him chuckle. Almost.

Vidar struck the pipe he was on with his boomstick, nodding once. “My work is done, laddy.”

“Excellent, Vidar!” Asa grinned wide and gleefully, laughing.

“What’s done?” Coral asked as Almond moved from the pipe he was on, which was falling, to where he knew a pipe had been recently. What he met with… was air. The child-like figure plummeted a good fifteen feet before he caught a pipe, and accidentally dropped his sword, which cleaved through dozens of other pipes on its way down…
Its glow was eventually lost to the darkness.

“Almond! Speak to me! Where are you?!!” There was a pause. “Oh, thank God you’re alright… You!! What did you do?!!”

“I took out every pipe in about fifteen feet down from here. In other words, you’ll have a fifteen foot jump from the highest pipe you can reach to get to where we are now. Surrender, and we’ll find a rope for yea.” Vidar jumped off the pipe he was on to the left, and Asa to the right, as Coral shot an Energy Ball barrage at them. “You’re only hurting your situation more by doing that, lassy.”

“You think you’ve outsmarted us?! We still have a chance to win!” Coral yelled out, firing more Energy Balls, now aiming at Asa.

“Where are those foods when you want more?” Asa asked the air in a whiney voice, and was then struck with one of the Energy Balls, plummeting to the same level as Coral.

“Hey! That’s- Why you… Grah! Fine! We’ll play things your way!” Vidar pulled out his paintball rifle, and started to fire upon Coral, giving Asa a few moments to regain his composure. And then Almond came up at him, Energy Ball in hand to strike close-range!

The Energy Ball’s light shone on Asa’s eyes, which had narrowed at some point - whether from being hit by Coral’s attack, or having a light right in his face is unsure… Asa twirled his shovel in his hand, swatting Almond in the face, causing him to swirl around and slam into the rock wall, which he bounced off swirling again… and into Asa’s shovel again. And then into the wall again, and then Asa’s shovel, and one last time into the wall.

The darker Asa, his eyes narrowed, then knocked his enemy’s feet out from under the angel clone, sending him crashing downwards.

“No! Almond!! Think, speak, do something!” Coral leapt into action, but met only a foot out from where she had been standing - in shock and horror at Asa’s sudden brutality - with the mentally snapped glare. Those eyes… He’s going to-

Asa tapped the tip of his shovel, and the head popped off suddenly, revealing a very pointed spear; Coral barely had the time to duck before Asa’s weapon struck!

“No! I can’t- Grrrr, Asa! Shovel time!!”

Asa’s eyes suddenly returned to normal. “Right-o!” And he plopped the metal head back on, slamming it into his face.

Coral and Asa began to plummet, neither able to fly or otherwise. And that’s when… the most peculiar thing happened. Metal clamps snatched them both. “Vidar to the rescue!” The Dwarf had reshaped some of the pipes into three claws - one for each angel clone and one for Asa - and tied them with some rope Gareth Lawton just so happened to have on him.

And then they got out safe and sound… to the top, where the man tried to kick them back in. But this time…

Vidar held his boomstick up to the man’s head. “If you kick me ONE. MORE. TIME. So help me no law made by ANY being will keep me from blasting you.”

“Oh, hey, Vidar?”

“Aye, laddy? Are you feeling better yet?”

“When’s lunch served?”

“Lunch is on me, for all four of you. I’m sure the footage gathered today will do more than suffice to pay for any bills you might owe me afterwards…”

“That idea’s splendid; isn’t it, Vidar?”

Vidar smiled slightly. “Sure, laddy; it’ll do. C’mon, let’s go get some food.”