Chapitre 6: Issue 006: Championship, Part One
The TV flickered to life. It was already on the sports channel, as it always was. A middle aged man in a poorly fitted suit jacket wielded a microphone to shout at his viewers.
"All the folks at home watching on their television screens, you're about to witness history. 'Cause this is nothing short of historic. And all the fine people who bought a ticket you can almost reach out and touch it, you're a part of something greater now.
"Tonight is the fight of the century. We have Embreland's daughter, the girl with the steel, Eden O'Cay. And if you can believe it, she fought a perfect twelve fights to race her way to this championship.
"But can she overcome the people's champion, the national champion, the undefeated champion; Carn Ormun? I'm excited folks, in all my career I've never seen a match-up as even as this. Can you believe it? Cause I can't!
"We'll take you now to the weigh-in, with just twelve hours to go before the fight. My co-anchor will meet you inside."
The screen cut to inside the stadium, in a wide but crowded foyer. At the top of a short flight of stairs were both contenders; the champion and the challenger.
Sports journalists had formed a human wall around the champion as they all tussled and pushed each other to get to the front and ask their question. A barrier of black suited bodyguards kept the baying crowd from trampling the champion. Eden stood beside Coach, watching the mass of people hound her opponent.
"That'll be you, after all this," Coach said. "Everybody will want to hear what Champ Eden has to say."
"Hah, you're being overly optimistic," Eden replied.
"Hey, you're the best fighter I've ever been dumb enough to coach," he said. "None of my other fighters had what it takes to make it this far. Not even your father and he was dynamite in the ring when he was sober. But you've got something that none of them had. Drive, fire. You never stop, you never quit. When you go down, you get back up."
"Are you trying to make me tear up in front of the cameras?" Eden joked.
"You feeling nervous?" Coach asked.
"Nah, I'm good," Eden answered.
"Hey, look sharp," Coach said as he pointed down the steps. "You've got a microphone and camera headed your way."
Eden looked the way he was pointing and immediately recognised the anchorwoman approaching her. She had seen the woman on TV often enough. The collar of a white button-up shirt peaked out from under her cobalt blue blazer, finely fitted and neat. A small name tag had been stuck to her blazer, reading "Madeleine Clarke". Eden's gaze lingered a moment.
"We come now, to Eden O'Cay," Madeleine said into her mic as she looked at the cameraman following her. "Now, Eden," she said and turned to face Eden, "how are you finding all the pomp and circumstance of a grand event like this?"
"I'm okay," Eden answered.
"Yes, you are," the reporter said with a warm smile.
"It's all a bit surreal, honestly," Eden said. "Last week I was watching you on TV and now you're interviewing me."
"Well, we have covered a few of your recent fights," Madeleine said, "but I'm happy we finally get to talk. So, when did it sink in that you, a relatively unheard of girl from the bad side of town, are fighting the national cyber boxing champion?"
"When we went in for our first weigh-in, last night, I saw Carn on the scales. It really hit me then," Eden answered.
"That's amazing," Madeleine said. "I wanted to get your opinion on the tabloids calling you 'the girl with the steel'?"
Eden smiled. "I've not heard that one before," she said. "I don't really care for tabloids and none of my cybernetics are made of steel. Even the haptics and wiring are all aluminium."
"Then maybe you'll prefer the nickname that many of your fans call you," Madeleine said. "In many online spaces in particular, fans all over the country have dubbed you as 'Embreland's Daughter'. Which I think is more flattering."
"It's… A lot," Eden said. "But I'm proud of my home and I'm happy that so many people have shared so much love with me."
"And if you win tonight, how do you plan to celebrate," Madeleine asked.
"That depends, what are your plans tonight?" Eden asked in return.
"Oh, um, I guess my night's pretty free," Madeleine said.
Coach leaned over to whisper in Eden's ear. "Quit flirting, we've got to prepare for that fight. You remember the fight, right?"
"Thank you, Miss Clarke," Eden said. "Unfortunately, I've got a match to get ready for."
"Maddy," Madeleine offered. "I'll see you tonight."
--- --- ---
The crowd shouted and whistled and clapped. Eden felt as though she could sink into the noise of the rising clamour, swallowed whole and never to be seen again. Carn stepped into the ring and the cheers reached a new height. He was marginally taller than her and only weighed slightly more. He seemed almost too kind, with gentle eyes and a sweet smile. They had barely spoken but at the weigh-ins he had been more polite than any of her twelve previous opponents.
"I don't know what to tell you, Eeds," Coach said. "He's fast and strong. He's careful, precise, and you'll struggle to bait him. I think your best chance is wearing down his guard but I've never seen anyone else succeed at that before.
"Hit hard, hit fast, got it."
"Yeah, yeah. You keep hitting and you don't let up," Coach said. "I believe in you, Eeds. You earned being here."
"Thanks, Coach," Eden replied. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"Yeah, you could have," Coach said with a chuckle. "I don't know what else to tell you."
"Tell me to scrap him," Eden said.
The bell rang.
She came out of her corner more confident than she had ever gone into any match before. Carn stepped up to meet her, just as eager. Eden attacked first, a light jab to test his guard. But Carn landed the first hit by parrying her jab and countering with a right cross, his fist pummelling through her guard to smash her face and bust her nose. Eden stepped back.
Carn stepped forward. He followed his attack up with a tight uppercut. Eden refused to let him build on his momentum, she swept her hand to parry the punch away. A pair of thin slivers of metal opened up on Carn's forearm and jettisoned air. His punch changed angle moments before impact, rerouting around Eden's parry to crack her jawline. Eden felt the hit but when she opened her eyes, she was kneeling on the floor.
"Nine, eight," the ref counted. How had she gone down so fast? "Seven."
"Get up!" Coach shouted from the ring side.
"Six."
"Come on, get up," Carn shouted from his corner.
"Five."
Eden rose to her feet, her legs were shaky and her hands trembled. The ref looked her over and she nodded to him, taking a boxing stance and raising her hands to guard again. The ref moved out of the way and Carn stepped back in. Eden finally saw that his kindly face was gone. Calm skies had been overrun by storm clouds. His eyes were focused, keen, studying her constantly. His jaw was tight. His hands were steady.
For the first time in her entire life of boxing - since she was a child senselessly beating a bag, to every challenge in her professional career - she doubted herself.
She tried to dodge, parry, and weave around his punches. But Carn used his cybernetics expertly to change the trajectory of his attacks. Folds and flaps changed their position on his forearms and pressurised jets of air allowed him to guide his punches before they struck.
When the bell rang, Carn had dominated the round and Eden had not landed a single hit. The crowd cheered for their champion, chanting his name over and over. Eden returned to her corner.
--- --- ---
The sports anchor in his ill fitting suit jacket sat at a long desk, a panel of pine that stretched fifteen feet. He was joined by career commentator and cyber boxing founder, Samuel Trent. Comparably, Samuel was dressed in a navy blue measured-to-fit suit.
"What do you think, Sammy? Is Eden out of her depth?" the sports anchor asked.
"I hate to say it, but it certainly looks that way, Joe," Samuel answered.
"It certainly does," Joseph chimed. "I had high hopes for the girl when this started, but that opening round really shook my confidence in her."
"It really seemed to shake her confidence in herself," Samuel replied. "You could see it on her face when she stood back up. I really feel for her, I've been there."
"You went up against some of the greatest fighters of your day," Joseph said.
Samuel nodded. "And now Eden's up against one of the greatest fighters in modern cyber boxing," he said." I wouldn't want to get in the ring with Carn."
"I went into the boxing ring, once," Joseph said. "White collar, not cyber boxing. I've never cried as a grown man but uh… It was tough."
"You need to learn to be more comfortable with showing your vulnerabilities, Joe," Samuel said. "I think that's why so many people have taken to Eden. Crowds, cameras, wherever or whatever, she always feels honest."
"Well, Sammy, I sincerely hope the girl does better in the second round," Joseph said. "We'll be airing the round live in just a moment."
--- --- ---
The bell rang and Eden stepped out of her corner. Carn crossed the ring, confident and determined. His gaze fixated on Eden. Every breath he took was calm and controlled.
The hits came hard and fast, with no time to prepare. When she blocked, his punches drove through her arms. When she tried to dodge or parry, his arms deployed an array of thin-plated ailerons to manoeuvre his fists into her face. She breathed rapidly, trying to control herself and calm down. But she found no time to rest.
Carn's onslaught was continuous. He showed no signs of slowing or tiring. When the bell rang to end the second round, Eden returned to her corner with a bust lip and bruised eye. The ref followed her into the corner and gave her a quick look over.
"You all good to continue?" the ref asked.
"I don't quit," Eden said.
The ref looked past her, to her coach leaning against the post from outside the ring. "She safe to keep fighting?"
"You heard her, she's good," Coach answered.
"Minute to next round," the ref said. "Make it count."
The ref left them to devise a plan, or pray.
"He's beating the crap out of me, Coach," Eden said. "What do I do?"
Coach sighed. "You like crazy plans, right?"
"Just tell me," Eden said.
"You're doing shit, Eeds, to be honest," Coach said. "But instead of trying to block his punches… Well, just take them to the face."
"That's a new one," Eden replied.
"I know what you're thinking but-"
"My hands will be free to counter," Eden interrupted. "It's not like blocking is working."
"It's a shit idea, I know," Coach said.
"Well, I haven't got any other ideas," Eden replied. "I'll try it."
The bell rang. Eden stepped forward and watched Carn approach her. True to form, Carn started the round aggressively. And Eden let him. Bare knuckle scrunched her nose flat into her face. She wanted to armour up, raise her hands to protect herself. Eden fought her every instinct that told her to hide behind her guard.
Instead she threw a blind haymaker and struck his guard. He did not even flinch. She followed it up with a more focused cross. But her free shot had been used up. Carn parried the hit aside. Eden stepped in close. She had to keep her momentum going and build on it, comboing a tight arced hook. Carn parried again, sweeping his steel forearm at her fist. They both heard her knuckles crack.
Pain jolted from her hand and up her arm. She cried out. Carn seized the gap in her assault. A powerful right hook hit her face and she was sent stumbling to the side. Eden felt her knees buckle beneath her own weight. She gritted her teeth and pushed from her core to stay upright.
As she swayed, Carn closed the gap. He threw a combo of punches and Eden walked right into them, on purpose. She countered with her own left-right combo. Both attacks bounced off his arms. The second hit knocked his arms to the side. She stepped in close, again. And launched another hook. His solid steel forearm moved to parry it, again. But Eden pulled the hook in early and brought her left hand back to her guard. Carn's parry swiped through empty air. Then came her right hand again, bearing down at an off-angle as she threw the punch over his guard. She struck him above the eye hard enough to send him stumbling backwards.
The crowd gasped. Eden saw the blood dribble down from his brow. Like a shark, frenzied on the scent of fresh blood in the water, she hungered for more. She moved in close and swung her fist upwards. Carn was not easily shaken, he was the champion for a reason. He calmly stepped around the oncoming uppercut. And countered with a heavy hook. Eden took the punch to her face and launched her own attack.
With every hit, Carn struck true. And Eden continued to let him, for a chance at her own counter attacks. When the second round came to an end, Carn had battered Eden's face into a bloody, swollen mess. Again, the ref followed her into the blue corner.
"You had better make a convincing case, if you want to go in for another round," the ref said. "Otherwise, I can't in good conscience allow you to continue fighting."
"Ref's got a point, Eden," Coach said. "You sure want to go another round?" He wiped the blood from her face with a damp towel.
Every muscle in her body burned, ready to give up. Her bones ached. Her head pounded like a heavy drum, beating to the rhythm of her heart. Eden doubted she could take much more. But she had to try.
"Just give me one more round," Eden said. "If I don't win this round, then call it."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone