Nightshift 35: The Coliseum
[from here]When she came to, Callisto found herself sitting in what appeared to be a small set of stands. That didn't last for long, as she was soon on her feet and staring around at her new surroundings
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The area was a stark contrast to where they'd been before. Where the halls before were dimly lit, this one seemed to have light streaming through the ceiling. And yet there was a greater sense of dread and evil here than Obi-Wan had ever come close to sensing within Landel's before.
It was very unsettling.
By now he'd also realized that, along with his full grasp on the Force, he was also wearing his robes, as well as his traditional Jedi tunic. Wrapped around his waist was his utility belt, and then...at his side was the lightsaber he'd had equipped just prior to his abduction. But it wasn't just any lightsaber. It was Qui-Gon's.
The Jedi Knight could sense where his former Master was, along with Callisto and Goku, so there was no need to look for them. Instead, he focused on Sanzo, who was on the other side of the area. He couldn't help but frown. The more he saw, the more he was starting to get an idea of what this would entail -- a battle of sorts, and one that might not end well.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," he said.
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Sanzo stepped out further into the wide space, looking around. It didn't take him long to locate Goku, in time to see him shove Callisto back. They were all seated together, high above the field, in what looked like some seating box.
The suspicion began to grow. The priest looked around, uneasily. Admittedly, he'd just gotten fed up with the bickering; he'd only pricked his finger just to get their asses moving again. Something useful. Goku was partially to blame for it. Of course he'd find someone to fight with in the kappa's absence.
Except there was going to be more to it than just a warning. Sanzo did not like how this was looking to shape up: the wide open space - far too much like a stage for his liking - and the high walls, topped with seats. Seats which offered a perfect view of the entire floor.
Sanzo's fingers tightened around the Smith & Wesson, knuckles whitening.
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[over here]
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But it seemed they were only here for their captor's entertainment.
It was then Sanzo resolutely moved towards the edge of the arena. Waves of murderous intent practically radiated off of him, and he didn't have to be a Force-sensitive to pick up on what he was about to do. But there was likely a barrier of some sort separating them from Landel, like the last time he'd appeared before them. Sanzo wouldn't be able to touch him.
"It's no use!" he called, but it was too late. The gunshot rang out, and he couldn't help but grimace. Fighting the Head Doctor this way was only a waste of energy, as far as he was concerned. Right now, he just wanted to know what it was he wanted with them, so he could try to figure out a way out of this.
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He thought of the red lightsaber his friend had found the other night. Was there some kind of connection?
But now wasn't the time to dwell on those sorts of things. He had a more pressing issue on his hands at the moment.
The Jedi Knight listened to these "rules" of Landel's game, and it soon became apparent why the air was so stifled with anger and fear. There was no way to know how many people might have perished within this arena. And, if there was any real weight to this game, someone would be dying tonight. If the fighters did not participate, then the spectators became convenient hostages, it seemed.
Any emotion he might have been feeling was carefully masked, but he could not stop himself from glancing towards Qui-Gon from the corner of his eye.
Still, that did not mean he could submit so easily to Martin Landel's whims.
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He'd come to a realization - the truth of the situation- that Obi-wan apparently hadn't arrived at yet, or didn't want to accept.
The man was too tough to crack (not impossible, everyone had some breaking point) and it would take them too much time to chip away at it. They didn't have that time.
There wasn't any way out of the arena that he could see. No way up to Landel, and with that barrier, no way to reach him right now, much less even kill him. If his suspicions were right, that barrier was also cutting them off from the others. It left them trapped on the arena floor, with no way to affect the others or Landel, while they were at the son of a bitch's mercy.
There weren't any other options. Only one.
He couldn't count on Landel fulfilling his bargain. He could count on him to gloat when this was over though. There had to be an opening then, and when Sanzo found it, he'd kill the asswipe, slowly and painfully.
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From behind him, Goku gave a strangled moan, nearly covering up the tell-tale crack of bone. Sanzo didn't need to look at Goku to know that he'd been wounded again, and worse than the first set. That Obi-Wan was wasting time, and that the others were paying the price for his naivity.
The monk closed his eyes, drew in a steady breath.
A wave of irritation washed over him. This wouldn't have happened if the dumbass chimp hadn't tagged along. He could've watched out for himself only. Now he was put in a position that Sanzo swore he'd never be in.
The problem was that Goku, despite being an idiot most of the time, could defend himself. He knew Sanzo's stance on the matter, and the monk could always rely on not having to watch the kid's back.
Except this was different. There was no attacker Goku could take down, nothing he could do to stop it.
Which left only Sanzo.
He swore silently. When this was over, Sanzo was going to kick the shit out of Goku and hope that would be enough to knock some sense in him.
There wasn't any way out of this. He'd have to kill. Sanzo didn't care about the prize or promise of escape. Right now he needed to end this, get that opening to kill Landel... and stop the the others from dying.
Qui-Gon wasn't too bad, as people went. But that didn't mean Sanzo harbored any allegiances towards him, or Obi-Wan. He knew what needed to be done. They would have to play by Landel's rules, and later use it against him.
Nothing personal.
Just like those months spent on his own after leaving the temple, killing and surviving. Obi-wan may not have attacked him, but he was in his way.
Sanzo opened his eyes, looking up one last time at the Head Doctor, pure hate in the stare.
The gaze didn't last long. Sanzo turned and struck, grabbing Obi-wan in a chokehold before he could retaliate. The monk swiftly kicked his legs out from under him, right as he released him from the hold.
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He should have expected this, but he'd allowed his worry for Qui-Gon and the boy, as well as his need to exhaust all other options, to distract him. Careless! he thought as he felt his body collide against the dirt.
Sanzo had made the first move without consulting him. He was acting solely on his need to protect the others, which meant the situation was spiraling out of control. So much for negotiations. Now it was a matter of self-defense on his part.
Obi-Wan didn't waste any time dwelling on all of that, though, choosing instead to focus on that split second as he sharply looked up at Sanzo, ready to make his next move.
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There was that split second, as Obi-Wan landed - hard - and a look of clear surprise was on his face.
Sanzo didn't hesitate; the Smith & Wesson was out in a flash, and he fired at Obi-Wan's chest.
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"It's nice to see we're on the same side!" he said as he seamlessly got to his feet. He was on full alert now, but he wasn't going to lunge at the other patient just yet. "There's got to be a better way to handle this, Sanzo," he added before frowning. "How can you be sure Landel will honor his end of the bargain if you kill me?"
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Those reflexes definitely weren't human. Even Homura couldn't dodge bullets, and Obi-Wan had done so, effortlessly; almost as if he'd somehow sensed when the monk as going to pull the trigger. Sanzo regarded the man with cool disinterest.
"I'm not on anyone's side but my own," Sanzo replied. "And unlike you, I'm not trying to delude myself that there's any other way out."
Doing so was only delaying the inevitable, stupidly putting the others at risk. The man was still blind to what was going on. Of course he'd try to stall.
He only had a limited amount of bullets before he'd have to pause to reload. If he could dodge at a certain distance, Sanzo would have to close it and then make the shot.
The monk closed the last few feet between them, a brutal kick swinging at his head.
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[ From yon high. ]
Frown, yell! "Sanzo, stop being an idiot!" Not like Sanzo was being the only dense person around, and it wasn't like Goku had any room to talk. Still, from what he'd see? Sanzo was the one attacking. The thing where Obi-Wan dodged the bullet wasn't exactly making Goku feel any better about this ordeal either.
"You're doing exactly what he wants you to do!"
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At that same moment, he heard Goku's pleas, and he was glad he at least hadn't fallen for this game. Without wasting a second, the Jedi Knight leaped towards Sanzo, and with fluid precision, moved to grab the arm holding the gun. He had to disarm him.
If he was busy fighting for his life, then there would be little he could do for themselves, much less for Qui-Gon and the boy.
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Sanzo wasn't about to admit it to anyone, but deep down, there was the ugly hint of something that was almost foreign to the monk. It had reared its head when the Head Doctor explained those rules, and seeing their very-real results.
Pure fear. Fear for Goku.
He wasn't just doing this bullshit for himself, and now he had the monkey making things even more complicated. Of course he'd pipe up, especially when his input wasn't fucking needed. It was distracting him.
"Shut up, you goddamn ape..." Sanzo muttered to himself. Why the hell couldn't Goku just keep his mouth shut for once?!
Obi-Wan was fast, actually manage to grab his gun arm. Even if Sanzo didn't have a Jedi's reflexes, he'd fought enough to realize he was going to try and disarm him.
Sanzo reacted immediately, turning with the grab and driving his other elbow at Obi-wan's stomach.
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