(The day after her fight with Shannon Bethony gazes outside the window of her class, not paying any attention to the teachers lecture, as the class ends she walks out into the hall and while on her way to her next class Alison spots her and begins walking next to her)
Alison: Hey Beth, are you okay?
Bethony: Huh, o-oh yeah, I'm fine.
(Soon Jasmine comes walking up behind them)
Jasmine: You don't sound okay, in fact you sound down and out, are you still hung-up about yesterday?
(Bethony's only response is a short winded sigh)
Alison: S-so Jasmine, did the teachers give you any work to catch-up on?
Jasmine: Yeah, they really threw the books at me, just because I missed one day, (Grunt) they need to learn to lighten-up.
Alison: This school doesn't take too kindly to students playing hooky.
Jasmine: I can only imagine what Shannon'll have me do when he comes back.
Bethony: ….Shannon wasn't here?
Jasmine: Nope, guess he must've taken the day off or "something".
(Just up ahead Bethony sees Principle Lewis putting up fliers and quickly walks over to him)
Bethony: Principle Lewis.
(Distracted for a moment Principle Lewis staples his thumb, reeling back from the pain he holds it close)
Principle Lewis: MOTHER, flocking birds, (deep calming breath) can I help you Ms. Rockwall?
Bethony: Did Mr. Alderman call out today?
Principle Lewis: No he didn't, which really bugs me, I was hoping to ask for his help with organizing the upcoming school fair, (sigh) but I guess I'll have to ask him when he gets back, when ever that might be.
(As principle Lewis begins to take the stapler out of his thumb Bethony walks away with a concerned expression on her face, later that day Bethony walks by the old gym and as she opens the doors her now worried expression turns to shock as she finds the row of punching bags all split open, Bethony suddenly heads for the school gate, jumping over it, she runs off in search of Shannon, as the day goes on Bethony is next to a store catching her breath)
Bethony: (Inner thoughts) What was I thinking running off like that, I've got no idea where I should even start looking, I don't even know where he lives....
(Just then the image of slapping Shannon plays through her mind)
Bethony: ….(Inner thoughts) Should I even bother?
(Just then Ralph walks out of the store holding a bag, recognizing the man Bethony quickly moves out of sight then begins to focus on the bag he's carrying and sees two drinks inside, this jogs her memories of what Shannon said to Ralph the other day)
Bethony: (Inner thoughts) If I follow him...
(Ralph begins to leave with Bethony keeping her distance as she follows, later as dusk begins to settle Ralph makes his way to a park where Shannon is waiting, Bethony maneuvers her way to a few nearby bushes and settles in to spy on the two)
Shannon: You sure took your time.
Ralph: Hey, you said to bring drinks, I brought drinks.
(Shannon points towards Ralph)
Shannon: You remember my favorite?
(Suddenly Shannon catches a bottle of blue soda)
Ralph: Blue raspberry rush, it was a bitch to find.
(Shannon and Ralph take there drinks and set them far off to the side)
Shannon: Watch your mouth.
Ralph: Why the hell should I, and what the hell happened to this place?!
Shannon: (Annoyed sigh) The city found a better way to deal with the scrap metal, when they finished clearing it out they turned this place into a park.
(After setting there drinks aside the pair reacquire there positions on the field)
Ralph: I don't like it.
Shannon: That's just nostalgia talking.
Ralph: I'm gonna miss the smell.
Shannon: ….It did have a certain character to it, so Yoake, was that necessary?
Ralph: Hey, he's the one that raised the stakes, I just jumped on his level, honest with you, I didn't think he could do that.
(As the pair talk they take there stances and as they do Bethony begins to feel a think tension in the air similar to what she felt when her former sensei and Shannon where sparring)
Shannon: I thought he was holding back.
Ralph: (Lite chuckle) So you took a run at him too?!
Shannon: It was a friendly match.
Ralph: Yeah, sure it was real neighborly.
(A dense silence comes over the field and Bethony can't help but notice the sudden shift in the air, a bead of sweat rolls down from her brow to her chin as she swallows her nerves the bead falls and hits the floor acting almost like a signal, the two suddenly lunge at one another clashing, both holding the others arms in place)
Ralph: That almost gotcha, you might want to warm-up before we start.
Shannon: (Chuckle) This is the warm-up.
(The two suddenly launch into a flurry of attacks countering every blow the other sends there way, Ralph soon forces Shannon to step back as he begins pressing forward, but is soon thrown over Shannon's shoulder, quickly recovering from the fall Ralph launches himself into the air and comes crashing down forcing Shannon back, while stepping back Shannon spins around bringing his leg above himself catching Ralph with a downward kick to the head forcing him to kneel, Ralph however quickly recovers, spots an opening and rushes in taking Shannon by his shirt and throwing him a fare distance, landing on his back Shannon soon staggers to his feet Bethony prepares to step out and help him but then stops when she sees a sinister smile come across Shannon's face as he takes a stance mimicing the one used on Yoake, Bethony then quickly muffles her gasp as she sees Shannon's eyes turn a dark yellow)
Ralph: Ohhh, pulling that out, huh.
(Ralph quickly takes the same stance)
Ralph: Well, one good turn deserves another, don't it.
(As a sinister smile comes across Ralph's face Bethony soon notices a strange dark yellow light beginning to radiate from Shannon with a dark red light soon radiating from Ralph)
Shannon: Black, Hound, HOWL!
Ralph: Red, Cougar, RIOT!
(With there respective statements acting as a type of trigger, Bethony witnesses the two men move at now blinding speeds, almost unable to keep pace with what's happening only to soon see the two collide at the center causing there positions to switch, Ralph holding back Shannon's leg and Shannon holding off Ralph's fist, the two men stare each other down with the look of twisted thrill in there expressions)
Ralph: There's those eye's I've been looking for!
Shannon: Shut-up and put your back into it!
Ralph: FALL-
Shannon: THROUGH!
(A heavy gust of wind burst out from between the two them to slide back from one another, suddenly a twig breaks off from the bushes Bethony is hiding behind and cuts her above the brow causing her to let out a grunt, this grabs Shannon's attention as she begins shielding herself from the now dying winds)
Ralph: (Laughter) Not bad, now lets see what you do with this!
(Ralph raises his hand across his shoulder then with the back of his hand facing Shannon he swings it towards him launching a burst of energy)
Ralph: ROARING, FANG!!
(Shannon quickly brings up his guard, taking the full brunt of the attack which launches him into the tree cracking it at the point of impact, as the tree breaks off Shannon lands in the bushes next to Bethony, unconscious)
Bethony: Shannon!
(Ralph soon comes walking up to the bushes)
Ralph: They hell was that, you should've seen that one coming a mile away, had something real nice set up for it too when you dod-.
(Just then Bethony jumps out of the bushes in her stance prepared to defend Shannon)
Ralph: Oh....he out?
(Bethony says nothing as she attempts to hide her shaking, Ralph begins heading to the exit of the park)
Ralph: Well this is a let down, (sigh) once you've gotten down from this "park" go down the road to your right then take two first lefts, it'll be the third house, number seven twelve, when he wakes up tell him we'll do this again when there's no "distractions" around.
(Once Ralph leaves Bethony falls back breathing a sigh of relief then looks back towards Shannon still unconscious, later that night Shannon wakes up in his bed with bandages covering his arms)
Shannon: ….Bethony you here?
(Bethony soon peers her head into the room)
Bethony: Y-you knew it was me?
Shannon: Yeah, while I was fighting I heard you, what where you doing there?
Bethony: I was worried when you didn't show up to school today, so I left early looking for you.
Shannon: You shouldn't have skipped school for that.
Bethony: I was worried about you, just because I was angry doesn't mean I don't care, why didn't you tell me you where going off to fight him!
Shannon: ….Ralph and I are old friends, we where fighting but it wasn't anything aggressive, so it nothing for you to be worried about.
Bethony: "Nothing for me to worry about", the way the two of you where moving, I-I'd never seen anything like it, the attacks you where using, but what concerned me the most where your eyes, the way you looked at each other, it was almost like-
(Seeing the tears well up in Bethony's eyes Shannon gets out of his bed and embraces her)
Shannon: I'm sorry for worrying you and seeing you now I regret not telling you but believe me when I say that we wouldn't have taken it that far.
(Bethony looks towards Shannon and stares deep into his eyes)
Bethony: ….I won't ask you to promise me you won't fight like that again, I'd be a hypocrite if I did, but please just be honest with me.
Shannon: I promise.
(Bethony then kisses Shannon deeply, a few moments later the oven alarm goes off)
Bethony: Oh, its ready.
Shannon: What's ready?
(Bethony rushes out of the room with Shannon following slowly behind, later at the table the two sit across from each other eating with Bethony's plate empty she stares at Shannon as he drinks)
Bethony: ….Teach me.
(Shannon chokes down his drink and as he gasps for air Bethony rushes over to him patting him on the back to help with his breathing, elsewhere at the school Principle Lewis has just finished taping the last of the school fair fliers to the wall)
Principle Lewis: That's the last flier, damn teachers you would think they would help the hand that feeds them but nooo-
(Suddenly he hears a ripping sound, looking towards the source he see a man looking over the flier he just put up and behind him are other ripped fliers and a single faint tear roles down his cheek)
Ralph: Finally got a decent one, hey you, a friend of mine works here, alright if I come to this ho-down?
Principle Lewis: ….Yes you may, on one condition.
(A sinister smile suddenly breaks on to Principle Lewis's face as he lets out a faint almost inaudible chuckle)
Dismissed