This is even more difficult than Elf had imagined as her ability seems to improve the longer they fight, almost as if she’s uncovering more and more of a treasure she’s been hiding this entire time.
“Your style seems to keep changing,” comments Rug. “What have you been studying?”
“Like I’d give my secrets away,” she laughs. “Let’s just say you should read more about the places you visit.”
The two keep going, and as Elfie thinks about what she means, he pictures Kammy in his mind and soon remembers the Z on her shirt, going along with her overall theme for the day. He easily concludes she’s referring to the heroes of Storyboard XL, but putting the pieces together concerning their fighting styles and such, Elfie feels a chill go down his back as he hopes she hasn’t been studying what he thinks she may be referring to. “Oh, man, if she’s been doing more studying on the fighting styles of the Zombies and Lyger, I’m in trouble. Everyone knows that’s the style the SG’s have tried to base themselves on ever since its discovery. Our fighting styles is a multi-millennial advancement of all the best martial arts forms of all ages and storyboards, but there’s something about going back to the basics that always sheds more progress on a person’s performance. Man, am I a real slacker! And a jerk, apparently! Ha ha! My resume grows.”
While Ent gains a fearful respect for his female friend, Kammy tries to keep her mind on the task at hand, hoping her powerful presentation is supported by whatever stamina she has left. “Oh, no! He shouldn’t have asked that. I shouldn’t have said that. Great, knowing Elfer, even if I somehow beat him now, he’ll just catch on and study what I’ve been studying and do a much better job than I ever could. I need to beat him now while I actually have the opportunity for once in my life. Ah, what a delight!”
The battle rages on and, despite Ent’s previous worries, it’s Kammy’s fears that soon come to pass as her tactical advantages soon find a dangerous rival in Elf’s blend of his own fighting genius with his decent lead in raw power. What does this mean? It means that if Elfie can do well with enduring whatever tricks Kamron has for him, he should be able to tire her out and then overpower her. Fortunately for Kam Crys, she recognizes this dilemma early enough to think of a possible solution. “There is no solution,” she says. “All my training was a waste when it comes to Elfie.”
She doesn’t blatantly quit, but her motions betray how she’s feeling. Despite her valiant effort to continue fighting full force, the girl’s disappointment at her inferiority to the strongest student in the class begins to make itself obvious to Elf. He feels bad for her, but knows it will only push her to try harder, and he’ll help her. If she’s gotten this much stronger by herself, surely a few training sessions with ol’ Elfer will make her a force to be feared. This isn’t how Kammy sees it, apparently as a few more moments of fighting push her too hard and her frustration starts to leak out.
“You moron!” she hisses at herself, resolved to not lose even an inch. There’s got to be some way for her to come back. “Elf, I can tell your defense is lowering. Who do you think you are, treating me like a girl?” This rant is in regard to Elf’s generous nature starting to lighten up as the gal’s own strength is starting to wane.
“If you’ve still got a chance, then now’s the time to prove it, Meyers!” Elf says this to goad her into a second wind, but he’s still careful about attacking her too abruptly, lest a sudden defeat crush her spirits.
Kammy, however, knows what he’s doing and it angers her more. She tries to ignore it, or maybe use it as a moment to make him regret not capitalizing on his high ground, but the longer things go on, the more evident it is that Elf is probably going to win. This just makes her even angrier, her eyes now watering as she can’t believe how much time she wasted just to lose again. Oh, and the fact that she may cry over it crushes her as well. “Come on; you’re a warrior. Don’t do this. Not now.”
Elf sees the defeat in his friend’s face and quickly decides on the best action to help her not cry. He punches her in the nose. Mind you, Duplica punches Jo in the nose, safely and all, but you nose what I mean. Yes, I made a pun. At any rate, it does succeed in distracting her. “Elf, really?”
Inner Man Theatre 