ROSES HAVE THORNS-Chapter 74 - Opponents Switched

"Well well well. Looks like you two didn’t chicken out after all." Kiana watched Emelie and Kurt appear from the crowd and walk to the opposite side of their makeshift arena.

"Was the audience really necessary? Because this seems a little excessive, don’t you think?" Emelie pointed at the crowd where a particularly rapid group of people were getting a little too into their cheering.

"DEATH TO THE CRIMINAL!"

"I LOVE YOU EMELIE!"

"OH MY GOSH! THE PRINCE LOOKS SO HANDSOME WHEN HE’S GETTING READY TO FIGHT!"

"STEP ON ME PRINCESS KIANA!"

"Do I seriously have no fans?" Kurt sighed when he took off his glasses.

"... Whoa. Isn’t he also kind of handsome? Should I have bet on him instead." A few loud jeers changed to quiet cheers.

"... Now that I’m getting a proper look at him, those pecks are kinda..."

"THE HELL YOU THINK THIS IS, A BEAUTY CONTEST?! WE’RE HERE TO SEE HIM GET HIS ASS BEAT!"

"... I bet he can beat my ass~"

"You were saying, Kurt?" Emelie asked him in a sarcastically dry tone.

"Never mind. Let’s just focus on the fight. So, who’s taking on whom?"

"I’ll go for Kiana since we’re both long-range combatants. You go for Junior. Although he does have a couple of long-range techniques, he mostly specialises in close range–"

"EMELIE!" Junior called as he pointed at her. "Finally, after one year, I get to have my revenge for what you did to me at the entrance exams! I’ll show you just how much I’ve changed during all this time!"

"What!?" Kiana turned sharply at him. "Junior, didn’t we agree to–"

"Sorry sis. But after seeing Emelie standing opposite me like this, I realise this is one of the few chances I’ll get to fight her seriously. She’d normally always reject my requests... but not this time." He smiled excitedly with his teeth showing.

"Junior! It’s supposed to be your duty to punish the criminal–"

"THAT’S FINE WITH YOU RIGHT!?" He ignored what his sister was trying to say and focused all his attention on Emelie.

"Honestly, I’d rather not fight a battle maniac like you–"

"IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOUR OPINION IS! I’M COMING FOR WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! GET READY, EMELIEEE! HYA!"

BOOM!

A golden light surrounded Junior’s entire body as he shot forward straight towards her.

"I swear this muscle-brain never listens. Sorry Kurt, looks like you’re handling the princess." Emelie told him as she flew in the air to dodge Junior’s oncoming attack. However,

"YOU’RE NOT GETTING AWAY THAT EASILY!" He changed his momentum from forward to straight up as he super jumped at her and summoned a sword of ice.

"... Fine. Let’s make this quick then." Emelie summoned her own ice sword and charged at him.

"SINCE WHEN DID YOU KNOW ICE MAGIC!?"

"WHY DON’T YOU BEAT ME TO FIND OUT!"

"HAHAHA! JUST WHAT I’D EXPECT OF YOU EMELIE! HAAAAAA!"

CLANG!

SHATTER

Their swords broke into ice shards as they collided with one another.

"I hope you haven’t forgotten, but the sky is my domain!" She wrapped him in a telekinetic barrier and flung him to the ground.

"Oh shit–!"

BOOM!

[AND JUST LIKE THAT, EMELIE HERST HAS WON THE FIRST EXCHANGE AGAINST THE PRIIIINCCEE!!!]

"""YEEEAAAAHHH!!!"""

The crowd erupted at the exciting sight they were witnessing.

".....Ha. Hahaha. Yes... this is just what I’ve wanted." Junior wiped the blood from his lip and stood up like it was nothing. "But that doesn’t mean I’m through! Take this!" He jumped right back at her but even faster this time.

This earned the amazement of the crowd who thought they’d be seeing a repeat of what happened last year.

"How is he doing that!? He’s so fast."

"He’s blitzing through the sky! Will Emelie be able to keep up?!"

"I knew you had it in you, my prince!"

Meanwhile, on the ground below, Kurt had already taken out his knives and was waiting for Kiana to make the first move. Instead, she was visibly shaking and muttering something to herself that no one could hear.

"...lie... elie... melie... Emelie Emelie Emelie Emelie EMELIE EMELIE EMELIE!!! IT’S ALWAYS EMELIE! WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT HER!?" Spiky ice bars shot out of the ground and surrounded herself as Kiana stomped her foot down.

’Holy shit! What’s wrong with Princess Bubblegum-Head?’

Kurt slowly tip-toed forward and approached her cautiously.

’Well, whatever’s going on in her head, I want none of it. I just need to land one good blow to freak her out. Show her I’m a threat. Hopefully that will end the match. On my side at least.’

As he got closer to her, he felt the ground below him start to subtly shake.

"Hm? Oh shit–!" He jumped out the way and narrowly dodged a spike of ice that would’ve torn right through him.

"Are you trying to kill me!? Wasn’t this supposed to be a friendly spar to see who’s receiving a punishment?!"

"Hmm. I’m surprised you evaded that. Maybe you do have some skill..."

"Alright, fine. Ignore my question then. See if I give a shit." Kurt fully ran at her and got ready to strike.

"Hmph. What an idiot." Kiana concentrated her magic on the place where Kurt would step on. Once he reached that spot, she’d summon more spikes to stab through.

"Hup!" Kurt quick-stepped away just in time.

"Hup! Hup! Hup!" With each spike coming out the ground, Kurt would easily dodge them.

*Grrr!* "How are you doing that!?"

"Haha! Why don’t you beat me to find out, Princess Bubblegum-Head~" Kurt twirled his knife as he taunted her with the same thing Emelie just said.

[WHHOOOOAAA!!! ARE YOU WITNESSING THIS LADIE AND GENTLEMEEEEN! THE CRIMINAL KNOWN AS KURT HAS EASILY DODGED THE PRINCESS’S ONSLAUGHT!]

"""YEAAAAHHHH!!!"""

"Feels like as long as they get a good show, these people would cheer for anybody. Isn’t that right, Princess Bubblegum-Head?"

"Stop calling me that!" She screamed as she shot multiple ice spikes at him.

"Oh crap–!" Kurt raised his arms up to defend himself from the incoming attack.

The impact caused him to tumble backwards. Although none of his vitals got stabbed from the blast, his forearms weren’t so lucky as a few spikes pierced into his skin.

"...Aahh." Kurt seethed in pain. "Note to self: Don’t call her by that specific name unless you want to be riddled with pointy ice magic"

He pulled out the spikes and gave his arm a few good shakes to check on his condition.

’Alright. Still good to go.’

"You’re still standing, hey?" Kiana smirked and crossed her arms.

"... You’re a real annoying opponent to fight against, princess."

"And you’re just annoying."

[OHHHH, AS EXPECTED LADIES AND GENTLEMEEEN!! THE PRINCESS HAS TURNED THE TIDES AND SHOWED US EXACTLY WHY SHE’S PART OF THE TEN REPRESENTATIVES!!!]

"Woooooo! Princess Kianaaa!"

"We love you!"

"Waste that criminal!"

Observing the fight near the front of the cheering crowd were Austin and Gary, who were not focused on the spectacle happening above them, but rather on one particular man.

"So that’s Kurt Rossana? The one who’s been gathering the attention of all the main heroines." Austin glared at Kurt as he got ready to face off against Kiana again.

"Main heroines? What are you talking about, Austin?" Gary asked.

"N-Nothing! I meant to say Principal Valentine and Emelie."

"Wait. You like the principal and Emelie? Pfffthahaha! Is that why you want Kurt out of the picture? Because he’s been involved with them and you feel threatened by him?"

"Yeah, so what? They’re supposed to be mine anyway."

"’Supposed to be yours’? That’s some serious erhm... ambition you have going for you. Is there anyone else you consider a main heroine?"

"I told you to forget about that!" Austin raised his fist to hit him on the head.

"Sorry! I’m sorry, ok?! Haha! I was just curious."

"Well, if you must know, I’m planning on making a harem which includes a bunch of baddies such as Emelie, Principal Valentine, Princess Kiana, Secretary Mia, Amy, The Saintess and many, many more. Heheheh~"

"Whoa Austin... That’s... insane. How do you plan on making all that happen?" Gary looked at him with stars in his eyes.

"By triggering all the romance flags of course."

"The what flags?"

"Although I may have to give up on the Saintess since..."

"Since..." Gary leaned in closer to hear what he was going to say.

"Fuck! Why are you always getting in my personal space!" Austin pushed his face away.

"I can’t help it. You always make such a cute face when you’re thinking so hard." Gary smiled at him with a faint red glow in his eyes.

*Tsk!* "I told you I’m not gay! Stop doing that!"

"Hehehe~ Neither am I..." He whispered so that Austin couldn’t hear him.

BOOM!

A body landed near where they both stood. Once the dust settled, the person who lay unconscious was revealed to be,

[WHOOOOOOA!!! AND JUST LIKE THAT THE PRINCE IS DOWN FOR THE COUNT!! EMELIE HERST HAS TAKEN VICTORY FOR HER SIDE FOR THE TEEEEAAAM!!]

"Emelieeee! I knew you could do it!"

"This is just like last year, huh?"

"Nooooo! My money!"

"JUNIOR!" Kiana tried to run and check up on her brother, but Kurt quickly jumped in to block her way.

"Nah ah uhh princess." He smirked at her. "No getting distracted now~ I’m still here, remember?"

"Why you..."