Sora slowly approached Astrals room as did James the two of them had their own questions as the sun began to rise. James had the longer path as he thought of Sora fresh on his mind after a night of meditation to fully focus on the situation at large. He still had a goal to defeat the queens and bring power back to the people.
Sora's goal was to get Astral back under his control. The problem would be getting consistent contact to bring him back under a clouded influence. Even if Astral had freed himself from his control he still had to suffer with some of the affects of his last battle. And with that Sora felt like he had Astral right where he wanted him.
Astral paced his room as he looked at a map as he marked down where each and every piece of armor was. Or thought to be. He would run the risk of sounding like a lunatic to anyone else. But he accepted that. "With each piece spread out it would make my pathing look in one giant loop. Ending with the Crown Jewels is the goal and I will be able to make it so." Astral drew the lines of his pathing as he wanted to get away from Sora sooner than later and get farther if possible to remove these connections.
A knock was heard on his door as he sighed. He knew who it was based off the light steps. "Sora, what do you want to entertain this time?" Astral nudged the door's lock loose with his magic. He was surprised to have it work, a wide grin formed as he faced away from Sora as he entered the room.
"I had an idea for us to hold a small scrimmage fight between the two of us. So that way we could bolster and embolden hope for all that are here. Show off your power and control, while allowing me to win and show strength to the rest." Sora's grin turned to a frown as his opponent faced the wall still.
"Losing on purpose won't make you better. Those things will not allow you to succeed in combat. Nor will they make you better, I am surprised you even came to me with such a rude thought. To think I would lose just to lose?" Astral changed his route in his mind as he needed to make sure Sora couldn't find him.
"I will change the offer to make it so either of us could win. Does that make it a fair deal?" Sora studied the map in front of Astral as he left it up. "If you do plan on leaving us, this fight would be a good sendoff." Astral raised his fist.
"I agree to your petty little squabble. It won't last long." Astral turned around as he motioned to have a second person enter. "Begin spreading the word Sora for midday. This fight will happen and I will go on my quest shortly after." Sora obliged as Astral looked into James' eyes, waiting to speak until after Sora left. "It troubles you as much as I, doesn't it?"
"He can't be trusted and you know this fight has an alternate goal to it." James stood firm as he looked up at the map. "Our paths will meet here." He tapped the map a few miles east of the capital city for the hybrids. "I have a goal to rebuild the countryside rather than the capital. The people need me more than Sora does."
Astral gave a soft laugh as he turned to James. "He will try and be a grappler to ensnare me into something. Knowing that I already have the counters to him without a fleeting worry in my mind." James smiled as Astral scratched behind his fluffy ears. "Leaving is the best course of action. I advise on doing so with the trust of your people."
James nodded as Astral walked out of the room and stood in the doorway. "Rally your people to let them also enjoy this fight. It will be funny to see how he can counter my attacks. He is very direct and stubborn and won't adapt till the next fight." Astral gave a light chuckle. "Until he finds something he likes." James stepped out of the room as the two walked to the outside and looked at the area all around them to figure out where everyone could watch the fight from. Astral rested a palm on the ground as he looked on the other side of the wall and made a small colosseum with enough seats for everyone to watch.
"Ah James, you are to spectate this fight and be the referee?" Lilac snarled from behind the two as James shrugged before jumping down to the lower levels. "Astral dear, you should do what you think is best for yourself." Lilac acted strange to him as he slid a step away.
"I always make sure to keep the balance between the two even for what is best for me and for others." Astral walked down the path as Lilac, Tina, Sanguine, Errol, Bitsy and Evelin followed him down the stairs to the arena where the fight would be held.
Once Midday hit. The stadium was filled, split down the middle of the humans and the hybrids. Both rooting for their own side to win as neither cared on who was hurt or if either of the losers were deformed by the end. James stood in the center as the two looked at him. "EVERYONE READY FOR THE FIGHT? QUICK REMINDER ON THE RULES, NO WEAPONS ARE ALLOWED, EACH SIDE CAN ONLY USE THEIR HANDS AND FEET AND THE REST OF THEIR BODY. NO CHEAP SHOTS TO THE NUTS OTHER THAN THAT. SORA AND ASTRAL ARE YOU READY?" The two nodded as James ripped his hand downward and the two stood at a standstill. Neither being the aggressor as they awaited each other's first move.
Astral acted first, closing the gap and launching a fading left jab. Sora tried to grab it as it came close. Astral pulled away in time, he saw the opportunity to launch an attack and threw a leg sweep at Sora who hopped above it. Sora was airborne as Astral stayed on his hands and sent a kick skyward to Sora as his cape reacted and blocked it. Binding itself to his leg as he slammed it down. The cape let go as Astral hopped back onto his feet. The cape was alive as a defender.
'So his counter to defend me is his cape. His grapples lead to nothing.' Astral smiled as he threw a right hook to catch the cape out of position. Once it moved to defend it blocked Sora's eyesight as he braced for impact. Astral struck with a low kick to his side as Sora tried to grab onto it. Astral was too fast as his leg was gone by the time his hand reached. He grabbed his side to fake an injury as he wanted to plead to Astral how weak he was.
Astral watched as their gears both shifted. 'His grapples are too slow. He now will make it a normal show.' Astral rushed in as he saw a leg coming upwards to his face. Astral caught it within a mere inch of his face as he used both hands to block it. Blocking a strike on the right as Sora was standing with his cape attacking with both legs. Astral saw this as an opportunity to take the full advantage of the fight for himself as he started to counter Sora's flurry of kicks with kicks of his own. Showing his mastery over it is more than Sora's as he didn't waiver.
Astral took a moment of pause mentally as in the action the plan came in real time. The cape wrapped up Astral's leg and bound it to hold him still. Astral smiled as he dropped to his back and rested his other foot on Sora's chest and lifted him upwards into the sky. Sora looked down at Astral as he was above the top seats at the stadium. He laughed in midair as Astral wouldn't dare attack him from this high up.
Sora looked on the ground as he saw no one. All he heard was a mechanical gear sound as Astral's wings spread open. Their clicking alerted Sora as he turned to Astral who hovered above him. The intimidation of this act put the realization that Sora lost this fight. Astral launched one strong punch directly into Sora as the cape bound to Astral after the attack. Where the two would intertangle in air to see who landed on top.
A slamming thud into the ground as a dust cloud appeared. It covered the two of them for a moment as it settled all around the two of them. Astral stood with his feet on Sora's wrists. Sora did not try to fight back as he had lost. Many more fights were bound to happen. Astral walked away as everyone cheered. He was still the best fighter on the planet and it was best for the world to not forget it.