She struck to the right with the rubber knife, but he effortlessly grabbed her wrist. His mismatched eyes narrowed, remembering how she fought in that night of bloodshed.
Maria followed up with a palm to the face. He released his grip, ducking.
"What's the matter, chicken?"
His eye twitched, "Fine, show me the Vanguard that gave Harbinger so much trouble."
Smirking, her arms went up as her leg shot down with an axe kick.
Felix dodged with ease and prepared to counter, but his hand froze mid-swing, trembling in the space before her head. His fingers twitched, unable to push forward or pull back.
"Huh? I can't…" A cold sweat dripped down his face.
His eyes widened — Maria's foot had stomped on his. She hopped away, and only then could he move his arm again.
As soon as there was distance between them, he felt like he could move his arm again. Like he could breathe again.
With a light gasp, he muttered, "What was that?"
He looked at her, and she smirked. He brought back his guard, more cautious than before.
She once again sprung forward.
This time her strike was swift, direct and predictable. Felix blocked, but the moment they touched, an electric current ran through his palm.
Her second strike followed, twirling the knife unpredictably. Something about it just moved the way she wanted it to.
Swing, slice, thrust. Each attack forward, he stepped back, letting her take more ground.
But as his eyes fixated on the weapon, he caught noticed her attack from the edges of his gaze.
Felix instinctively blocked her kick with his shin, but the moment they came in contact, he stiffened to the point where even his fingers weighed a ton, "My muscles… it can't be." His voice small.
Both eyes widened, shining blue. With a burst of blue, he quickly bounced out of the way.
An excited grin formed on his lips, "It's working…"
But there was no time for relief. In the half-second he celebrated, Maria had once again closed the gap with a wide palm to his face.
He slipped under it, avoiding contact. She followed up by trying to kick his leg again, which he dodged.
"Touching her is—" Only for her to pull the mat from under him.
As soon as he staggered, she leapt at him. Before he even realized it, he was already on the floor.
Pinning him with all of her weight, she held the rubber knife against his throat, like a rat, caught by a serpent.
Underneath her small frame, a familiar sensation ran in his vein like an electric current. His mind exploded with rapid questions.
What is this feeling… How did she…
Her first attacks were a diversions. They weren't bad, but they were amateurish and clear as day.
Yet she knocked me down.
She knocked me down, and I couldn't move. She knocked me down.
I knew she was strong… but strength isn't the right word for what she did… more like when Luna was training me… and the times I faced David.
The same power, but somehow different — a million times worse
It wasn't an external pressure, it felt like it was creeping under my skin, and my body just… locked up. Like she was cheating.
What's going on today? First, the red duo from before, with energy that's neither blue nor orange. And now Maria with…
Remembering earlier this morning, how he tried to lift up the broken mirror shard. The blue glow sparking from it. The red glow from the pillow.
"Where was the energy? The light? The…" His voice hoarse.
Thoroughly overwhelmed, Felix looked at her with a stunned expression.
Staring into her deep, dark eyes… only for her iris to shine, radiating white veins stretching outwardly on a black canvas.
"... the flower."
With a vibrant and satisfied smile, Maria poked the rubber knife's tip on his nose, "Boop."
"What just… how did—?" He snapped out of confusion, contorting into annoyance.
Never mind, I was still facing Marie after all.
The glow in his right eye faded.
"Since these normies weren't up to par, I thought you would like to fight another enhanced human for once. But it didn't take much to knock down the Black Cat of Ruin." She teased as she got off him.
"… How did you… what did you?" He huffed.
"… There's a reason why I'm an Elite Agent, y'know?"
"Right, the Venom Vanguard…" He huffed, getting back on his feet, "You didn't lace my coffee with poison, did you?"
"We all have our experiences. The world is an ocean, and I'm the biggest fish there is." She brazenly boasted.
"I've been trained by the best of them. I don't think a lack of experience was all there is to it." His eye twitched.
She reached out her hand and lifted Felix up, "Tell that to Harbinger."
"That was… different."
"Sure, it was."
Pride wounded, he scowled deeper.
"Yeah, I'm not letting that slide." He grabbed her shoulder, "We're having a rematch."
"The result will be the—" As soon as they made contact, she grabbed his wrist. But before she could anything, he swept her by the leg and flipped her over.
"Eh?" Her eyes widened as her back hit the mat, still gripping his wrist while he pressed it against her throat.
"What was that about Harbinger?" He asked.
Pinned, she looked down as he kneeled over her, only for him to place his lowered knee above thigh.
"No dirty shots." His face obscured by the light, his left eye glowing a cold blue.
Flat on the floor, beads of sweat rolled down her face, "I thought you were afraid my wounds would reopen?" She smiled nervously.
His expression tightened, feeling a tinge of guilt as he gulped.
Letting her go, he stammered, "The way you… you shouldn't be able to… A stage one shouldn't… Forget it."
"Didn't expect you to be a sore loser." She sat up with a sly grin.
"Shut it."
Scratching her head, she asked, "Tell me, when you fought Harbinger, you went on all fours, and started fighting him like a wild animal. Why is that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You don't remember? Does it have anything to do with you being called Black Cat? Gonna have to investigate." She placed her hand on her chin.
His eyebrows furrowed as he tilted his head.
She pointing two fingers toward his eyes, "Anyways, good to know you're learning Blue Mode."
Maria's words made him remember the warm touch of the red-eyed girl.
Felix got back on his feet, stretching out his hand.
She took her hand, and swung upwards as he pulled her.
"Does… do my eyes look like a flower to you?"
"Huh? You really don't know how to flirt with a girl, do you?" Confused, she let go, "Try not to sound so self-absorbed."
"Ugh, it's something that white-haired girl… never mind."
Verbally defeated, he sighed and looked into her eyes, the flowery-like light was gone.
Stretching out her arms, Maria walked towards the exit — only to stagger.
"Marie?" Worried, he reached for her.
"I'll be fine…" She gestured for him to stop.
The training room doors opened, and an agent with old gray hair and a black suit entered with a clipboard in hand, "Sir Felix, the chief wanted to—"
Before the man could finish, Felix let go of Maria's hand, pointing his finger towards the agent's feet.
"No shoes in the training ground, Murphy."
Maria almost toppled over, but caught herself just before she fell, stomping her foot.
"I apologize, sir. I simply came to hand you your next assignment." Murphy awkwardly responded as he took off his shoes and placed them at the side of the entrance.
"A mission?" Felix muttered as he went over the documents.
"Indeed, sir. You are to leave shortly."
"Welp, my mood's ruined. Looks like we'll have to settle this another time." Maria shrugged.
"This isn't over. We're gonna have a rematch when you've fully recovered." Felix declared before following after her.
"Sure."
With the spar cut short, the two agents were set out for their next mission.
~