Flowery Iris part 3

Rubber knives and wooden staves clattered as half a dozen people fell flat on the dark folding mats. One loud thump after another, the training ground emptied, until there was only one man standing, face to face against Felix.

Out of breath, an auburn-haired man spoke, “Come on, man. Everyone knows what you can do, so take it easy on us.”

“I was going easy on you. Any weaker would’ve been an insult to you as a fighter.” Felix replied, trying to hide his smug grin.

“Heh, an insult is being repeatedly knocked down. You know if David were here, he’d give you a taste of your own medicine.”

Felix’s eye twitched, forcing out an irritated smile, “Who?”

“Don’t be an ass, Felix.” The man grinned in annoyance as he wiped off his sweat and tried to calm his breathing.

“You’re the one who tried to hit a low-blow, Lance.” Felix shot back.

“Whatever it takes to win. Anyway, I’m gonna hit the showers.”

“Good, you reek.” The blue-eyed man gestured fanning his smell away.

As Felix’s last sparring partner headed to the showers, he was left to clean up the training room alone. He strolled around, picking up the equipment. His eyes were drawn to the dents on the worn-out punching bag hanging in the center.

He picked up a wooden staff and struck the punching bag playfully. Yet without a hint or notice, a familiar voice called out.

“What’s this? So you do know how to socialize!”

Sat atop a crate, Maria spoke while a strawberry was popped between her confident, smirking lips.

Her legs swung back and forth, dressed with a black sparring outfit with gold trim, with the Golden Lion’s insignia on the top right corner.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough... I see the scratch on your face has healed up already.” She commented as she pointed to her own cheek.

“Is your head okay?”

“You calling me crazy?”

“That’s not what — Sigh. Never mind, you seem okay to me.”

“Every bone in your body should be broken, and yet you’re already on your feet, sparring. Nothing leaves a scar on us, remember?” She reiterated.

“Right. Why are you here then? Weren’t you mad at me?” Felix asked while putting back the weapons to the side of the room.

“Mhm… a little.”

“Sorry about earlier, it’s just… how my mentor used to wake me up, so I wasn’t really thinking.” He admitted.

“Apology not accepted, you really should start thinking for yourself.”

Felix scratched his cheek, “Right. So what did the chief need you for?”

“Just tried to decrypt some files. It was a bit of a hassle. But enough about that, let’s talk about you… talking.”

“Lance is an old sparring buddy. And, well, I guess your silliness rubbed off on me.”

“Hoh? The stoic and somewhat sassy Felix telling an aspiring agent inspiring yet gentle words. Pretty out of character if you ask me.” She replied gleefully with wide gestures.

“Nobody asked you. Also, you’re the only one who calls me those things.” He retorted as he continued to wipe the sweat from the back of his head.

“Cause I’m the only one here who has the balls to do so.” She picked up one of the fake knives from the table, “I’m not particularly good at hand-to-hand combat, but how about it, wanna go for a round?”

He sighed deeply, “Why?”

“I figured you’d grown tired of knocking down average fighters. Thought you might wanna polish up a bit, I mean, after all… Didn’t you say you wanted to be the best?” She approached, venom spewing from the Vanguard’s mouth, arms wide open.

“Don’t twist my words to your favor.” His eyebrows curled, “Besides, your wounds might reopen.”

Waving the rubber knife back and forth, she teased, “I heard about your potential, but that you basically no experience. Was your first time really that scary for you?”

“You’re still mad, aren’t you?”

“Take a wild guess!”

Keeping her head low, she lunged — closing the distance between them in under a single breath.

She struck with a right using her rubber knife, but he effortlessly grabbed her wrist. His mismatched eyes narrowing, remembering how she fought in that night of bloodshed.

Maria followed up with a palm to the face, which he ducked under, letting go of her.

“What’s the matter, chicken?”

His eye twitched, “Fine, show me the Vanguard that gave Harbinger so much trouble.”

Smirking, her arms went wide as she followed with an axe kick, which he once again dodged with ease, preparing to counter.

Felix pulled back his arm. But as he countered, his hand froze mid-swing, trembling in the space before her head. It was as if he couldn’t push forward or pull back.

“Huh?” A cold sweat dripped down his face.

His mismatched 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 he focused on the weapon, she attacked from beneath with a kick.

Felix instinctively blocked with his leg, but the moment they came in contact, he stiffened to the point where even his fingers weighed a ton, “This sensation… it can’t be.” His voice small.

Both eyes widened, shining blue. With a burst of blue, he quickly bounced out of the way.

After activating the power on command, 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.

As soon as they made contact with each other, he felt a familiar sensation under his skin. Like a sharp current coursed through his veins.

Before he even realized it, he was already on the floor.

She put all her weight to keep him while holding the knife against his throat. His mind suddenly exploded with rapid thoughts. He felt like a rat, caught and pinned down by a serpent.

My body was…

The first two strikes were a diversion to get me off balance. Her movements weren’t bad, but they were amateurish, and easy to follow. Yet she knocked me down.

She knocked me down, and I couldn’t move. She knocked me down.

I knew she was strong… but this wasn’t the same. Strength isn’t the right word for what she did. She’s… I don’t know how to describe it. It’s almost like she cheated somehow.

It’s the same sensation I felt when I faced Luna… and against David.

The same power.

Yet somehow, this was a million times worse. It wasn’t a pressure forced upon me. It was creeping under my skin. Like my body became a prison from within.

It was the same. But it was different. More than that… where was it? Where was the light… the energy?

What’s going on?

The red duo from before, with powers that were neither blue nor orange. Now an invisible force from Maria.

Thoroughly overwhelmed, Felix looked at her with a stunned expression, staring into her deep, dark eyes.

With a vibrant and satisfied smile, Maria poked the rubber knife’s tip on his nose, “Boop.”

Never mind, I was still facing Marie after all.

“What just… how did—?” He said dumbfounded. 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.

“… An enhanced human shouldn’t be able…” He huffed, “How did you do that?”

“… There’s a reason why I’m an Elite Agent, y’know?”

“Right, the Venom Vanguard…” He gulped, “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.” The dark-haired girl 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.”

“Yeah, I’m not letting that slide. We’re having a rematch.” He grabbed her shoulder, only for her to grab his arm.

As she twisted his wrist, however, he immediately countered by grabbing her hand and sweeping her by the leg.

Her eyes widened as her back hit the mat, both still gripping each other’s arms — smiling through grit teeth on the floor.

“I thought you were afraid my wounds would reopen?” She asked, flat on the floor as Felix knelt one knee above her.

She looked down, her knee rising, only for him to place his lowered knee above hers, “No dirty shots.”

He laughed weakly, tears streaming down her face as she bit her lip.

“Tell me, when you fought Harbinger, you went on all fours, and started fighting him like a wild animal. Why is that?” Her voice cracked, beads of sweat rolling down her face, letting go of his wrist.

“No idea.” He immediately switched to an elbow lock.

“Does it have anything to do with you being called Black Cat? Gonna have to investigate.” Her breath hitched, lifting him up with one arm and shoving him out into the ground.

“What the—?”

“Enhanced human, remember?” She quickly got on top of him, pulling his arm.

Her words made him remember the warm touch of the girl with glowing red eyes.

“Does… my eye look like a flower to you?” He ached.

“Huh?” Her expression grew into confusion, letting go, “If you’re trying to make yourself look better, I’m just gonna tell you that sounded really self-absorbed.”

“Ugh, I meant literally.” He sat up, “It’s something that white-haired girl said.”

“Take a good long look in the mirror to find your answer.”

“I just wanted a second opinion.”

“... You don’t have a clue, do you?”

“Hm… about what?”

She stretched out her arms as she walked away, “…How to flirt with a girl, idiot.”

Felix looked at her with annoyance and defeat, but as she headed towards the door, she nearly staggered over.

“Marie?” With a worried voice, he grabbed her hand, “Did your wounds reopen?”

“I’ll be fine…” She responded.

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 someday.” Felix declared before following after her.

“Sure.”

With the spar cut short, the two agents were immediately sent off to their next mission.

In a cramped, moist room with dimly lit red lights sat two figures. Above them hung a meshwork of leaking pipes and staring rats that skittered through the shadows.

Rust and decay permeated the air.

Beneath them was the stained concrete floor full of dark puddles that echoed with every drop.

“So, which card is it gonna be this time?” Asked a young man with orange hair wearing a brown, fur-collared jacket. His voice sounded giddy with excitement as he held up a card from the deck he was holding.

“Eight of Clubs.” Answered the older, sharply dressed blond, who wore sunglasses that reflected light from the smartphone in his hand.

“How do you keep doing that? You weren’t even looking!”

“Don’t you get tired of—”

“How about now!?” The orange-haired young man thrust another card forward.

“Queen of Hearts.”

“You wouldn’t happen to be cheating, would you?” His voice dripped with distrust.

“Of course, I am.” The blond man sighed, his expression was cold behind his sunglasses, “You’ll just never figure it out.”

“Ah, that so…” The orange-haired man’s expression soured, and he started to shuffle the cards, the sound of cardboard slapping together filled the damp room, “So Julius, has Harbinger answered yet?”

“It’s been a week since I last heard from him. It’s possible that he’s been compromised.” The blond man, Julius, said dismissively, placing the phone on the table, “Here I thought he was one of the stronger ones.”

“Maybe someone stronger was in the way… or maybe I didn’t fill him up with enough juice?” The orange-haired young man mused, his voice dripping with hostile glee.

“You gave him every steroid and drug enhancement you had. Any more and would’ve turned into a vegetable.”

“This stinks…” The young man sank into the old leather couch, making himself comfortable on the grime, “So, what now?”

“We continue moving forward. I’ll have to find someone new. In the meantime, would you get rid of the freeloaders?” The older man said with a hint of exasperation.

“Right.” The orange-haired young man walked over to the room behind him, one that was not lit, and was in near total darkness.

“Try not to leave a mess.”

“Please… don’t hurt me…” A woman with dark hair pleaded, her body shivered while her heart raced.

“Sorry, miss. Unfortunately, rent is due…” The young man cocked the gun, “And your husband, Harbinger, skipped town.”

“Wait, please! I’ll do anything you want!” She cried out.

“Okay then! I’ll spare your life, if you answer this one question.” He smiled brightly and pulled out a deck from his back pocket, and picked out a card, “Which card is this?”

“K-King of Hearts?” Tears blurred her vision, and she closed her eyes.

He flipped the card, and a red joker stared back. “Wrong answer.”

An unfortunate sound echoed in the dark room.

He then looked at the rest of the cards and added, “Well, you wouldn’t have gotten it anyway.” All the cards in his hands were red jokers.

~