“Jessica’s opponent for this fight was chosen to be—“

“Me!”

The crowd murmured, “I choose Jessica to be my opponent.”

The examiner looked down at his list, “Y-you are not here as an option...”

“Jessica Jung I challenge you to a fight...do you accept?”

Jessica looked up at Taeyeon before looking back at the girl in front of her, “Ok.”

The girl gave a devilish grin, “She accepted.”

The examiner nodded as he continued, “Jessica Jung vs Im Yoona. Both step up to the center and start on my mark.”

Jessica walked towards Yoona hesitantly. She could see a strange but strong fire in the other girl’s eyes, almost like she wished death upon her. With a shake of the hands, Yoona grasped Jessica’s hand so hard that Jessica had to recoil her hand without showing too much pain in her face.

The examiner looked at both the girls as they stepped back before yelling out, “Begin,” to start a battle that only one of the opponents knew the reasons for such a bout.

The start of the fight was quiet as both girls eyed out their opponent; Yoona had a confident stride as she started to circle the girl whist Jessica took a very defensive stance, not knowing what the girl was actually capable of.

As the girl’s lips curled up to a devilish smirk, she pushed forward to send in a quick attack towards the less experienced girl. Jessica’s eyes bugged out as she watched Yoona come towards her in nearly a blinding speed and hit her square in the jaw, sending her flying to the edge of the stage.

The crowd whispered thoughts of how this fight was not evenly matched and that this could be the end, but Taeyeon clenched her jaw as if she could feel the pain Jessica just had endured, “Get up...just get up.”

There was no way Jessica could hear Taeyeon’s whispers of desperation above her, but the girl’s voice was echoing in her head that she had to face Yoona. Right now the girl before her was not a friend but a dangerous foe. Flattening her palms on the stage, Jessica pushed up off her stomach just enough to turn her head towards the girl who was slowly walking towards her. Waiting for the girl to get close enough, Jessica used the tip of her left toe and arm to lunge her whole body at Yoona’s legs causing her to fall to the ground with Jessica.

Yoona wasn’t expecting Jessica to pull her down but she was quick to recover as she rolled around with Jessica, trying to get a position on top of the girl, but Jessica was a lot stronger than she thought. Maybe, one month was enough training time for Taeyeon to get her up to a decent level. Either way, Yoona was not going to let a newbie beat her at something she has been doing most of her life.

Jessica struggled to also get a good position as she grabbed her elbow into Yoona’s ribs a bit but Yoona ended up using her legs to flip Jessica and the winner was decided. Yoona was on top and she took hold of both of Jessica’s wrists, immobilizing the girl below her.

Jessica was scared. She couldn’t move her legs or her arms as Yoona hovered above her, “Why...”

Yoona furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at the quivering girl below her, “Don’t act like you are so innocent...playing the victim.”

The bitter words seeped through Jessica’s skin as she tried to absorb Yoona’s angry words, “You were the one that chose to fight me...why am I not the victim here?” With a up, Jessica tried to get out of Yoona’s grasp but it failed, “Why do you have to act like my friend one day and an enemy the next?”

Yoona quickly released her hold on one of Jessica’s wrist to send a quick blow to Jessica’s face before placing her arm on Jessica’s neck to slowly choke her, “You have everyone fooled...did you think no one knows?”

When the ringing in her ear subsided, Jessica was able to cough out, “W-what?”

Yoona pressed her body hard on Jessica’s neck, “You made her cry...how could she cry over someone so useless as you...over someone who killed her whole family. You ing Party filth.”

The crowd was silent as they watched the color drain from Jessica’s face. No longer was Taeyeon able to watch Jessica die slowly so she did the only thing that she could do and that was yell out, “You are killing her! Stop!” About to jump over the rail, Yunho had the balls to stop her.

“Don’t...you can’t.” Taeyeon wasn’t going to have it so she elbowed the boy, but he managed to clench his teeth through the pain and used his arms to prevent Taeyeon from any further attacks on him, “Don’t.”

Jessica heard the words “stop” and she succumbed to the pressure on her neck and out into the past when she heard those words before.

Jessica stood her ground, “I want to fight him.”

“No...you can’t get hurt now.”

With no time, Jessica just pushed Taeyeon away right before the boy swiped the knife her way as the girl said “stop.”

Jessica didn’t know what her body would do in a flight or fight situation but when she saw the knife going towards Taeyeon, she had an urge to kill. With her new found, confidence, Jessica ran towards the boy as he did the same. He grasped the knife tightly as Jessica did the same with her fist. He slashed but Jessica was faster with a dodge and a quick upper cut to his jaw. Her speed was so fast that Taeyeon saw everything unfold in a matter of seconds.

Jessica’s mind blanked when she noticed the boy had landed on the knife he was holding. Without much thought, Jessica pulled the knife from him to alleviate the pain but when she regained consciousness from her blind anger, she only saw the bloody knife in her hands and Taeyeon coming at her saying,  “We need to get back now!”

Jessica’s eyes opened quickly as she looked right into Yoona’s eyes, “You d-don’t know...*cough* anything.” With her free arm, Jessica used it as leverage to rock her body loose enough to use her legs to kick Yoona away.

Yoona was in shock with the skillful move Jessica just used to get out of her chokehold and almost certain win.

Both girls returned to a stance on their feet as the crowd cheered for Jessica’s amazing recovery.

Still a bit dizzy from several seconds without oxygen, Jessica stumbled around a bit as she watched Yoona get ready for another attack.

Knowing she had to go forward quickly, Yoona prepared for another assault on Jessica’s body. This time, she was going to make sure the girl would be knocked down. Again, Yoona went forward with a quick attack but this time Jessica saw it and dodged causing Yoona to stumble to the other side of the stage, almost losing her balance.

Yoona turned around quickly to see a chilling smirk on Jessica’s face, “what the...” Looking into Jessica’s eyes, she knew that this was not the same Jessica she was fighting in the beginning. This girl had a new fire in her eyes and it making her wonder what the girl had up her sleeves. Was Jessica skilled in fighting and she didn’t know about it? Was she playing her for a fool this whole time?

Jessica knew Yoona would send another sloppy attack towards her, but instead of taking a defensive stance, Jessica went into a strange offensive stance as she waited for whatever Yoona was going to attack with. As she predicted, Yoona came forward with a few attacks with her hands, which Jessica blocked as if she were a skilled fighter. Getting a bit frustrated, Yoona tried to take out Jessica’s feet but Jessica dodged and landed a punch to Yoona’s gut.

Ignoring the light pain, Yoona went in for another series of attacks but her anger increased as Jessica dodged every one of them before Jessica landed a successful kick to her face. Yoona fell straight to the ground as the pain flowed through her whole body. Her vision blurred from the intense pain as she watched Jessica walk closer and closer.

Jessica bent down as she looked into Yoona’s eyes, “I am not filth.”

Yoona scrunch her face in anger and pain before she spit at Jessica and slowly pulled a small knife from her boot, “I won’t let you win.” With all the strength she had left, Yoona tackled Jessica and held the knife to her neck. It was a win. Jessica could admit defeat right there or Yoona could just kill her. Either way, Jessica lost and it was up to Yoona to decide the girl’s fate.

Tears slowly escaped Taeyeon’s face as she watched helplessly in Yunho’s strong grasp as she thrashed, “Let me go! Yoona! Don’t do it!”

Yoona looked up at Taeyeon for a second, “Why does she have you fooled too! You all are ignorant bastar....”

“Yoona stop!” Quickly turning her head the other direction she saw a particularly tanned girl walk into the arena, “Yoona put the knife down!”

Yoona pushed the knife closer to Jessica’s neck, “She deserves to die. How can you let her blind you?”

Yuri took cautious steps towards the stage, “Yoona I knew the whole time. I wasn’t fooled or anything like that. Why can’t you just trust my...and Taeyeon’s judgement?”

“How can you...” Yoona closed her eyes to choke back the tears, “...after all the years...after all the pain...How could you let her blind you!” Yoona yelled as the tears started to stream down her face, “You even chose her...chose her over...over...”

“You?” Yuri said as she walked closer to Yoona who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“You knew?”

“Yoona you are my best friend...my sister like Taeyeon. Jessica has a good heart and I may have been blinded by her beauty. I admit that I fell for her and I am guessing you saw us kiss.”

Taeyeon stopped thrashing when she heard, “Kiss?”

“You already saw how hurt I was when she turned me down...do you think I will be happy if you kill her? Or even beat her up like this?” Yoona looked away from Yuri in shame of some of her actions, “Yoona look at her...just look.” Making herself look at the girl who was practically begging her to spare her life, “Do you think you can kill her knowing that she is our friend and someone I might care about more than a friend? Would you take another loved one away from me and Tae?”

Yoona clenched her teeth and closed her eyes to the thoughts of many people they both lost but all those deaths were caused by... “She is no better than them!”

Yuri sighed as she walked up close enough to put her hand on Yoona’s shoulder, “You are wrong...she is one of us. She was also betrayed and made to be a victim by them.” Slowly making her way to Yoona’s wrist, “Yoona...let go.” Yuri said as she pulled the girl’s arm away from Jessica’s neck.

With the knife away from her neck, Jessica scooted away as she watched Yuri pull Yoona into her arms. She had no words for what just happened. The only thought she had was that this was the Resistance.

--------------------------------

Jessica laughed as Taeyeon removed the ice from her face for the nth time, “Taeyeon it is healing fine.”

Taeyeon sighed as she sat back down, “That girl really did a number on your face. What if you get vision loss or something?”

“Is that the only thing you are worried about?”

“Well...youhaveaprettyfaceandIdontwantthatmessedup...” The girl grumbled causing Jessica to laugh rather loudly, “Oh shut up...”

The bickering was cut short as the examiner entered the hospital, “Jessica Jung?”

Jessica took the ice pack from her face as she straightened up in her bed, “Yes?”

“Yoona talked to us and said she admitted defeat. You passed the final exam,” the man handed Taeyeon an envelope, “This is the placement Jessica was chosen for by the committee. Whenever Jessica heals, you may guide her to that location.”

Taeyeon watched in shock as they watched the man disappear, “I thought Yoona won...that sly girl changed her mind?”

Jessica was just as shocked by the news, “You can call defeat 2 days after the exam?”

“I never heard of that happening before...but I guess so?”

Jessica looked down at the envelope excitedly, “So? Are you going to tell me where I am being placed?”

Taeyeon could hear the eagerness from Jessica so she gave her a sly grin, “You really want to know?”

“Yes!”

Wanting to tease the girl some more, Taeyeon stood up, “I think I have something to do now...maybe later.”

“Taeyeon! Please tell me!”

Taeyeon saw the pathetic state the begging girl was in so she walked back to the bed, “Don’t I get a thank you for training you and helping you pass the exam?”

Jessica rolled her eyes in frustration, “I tell you that like every day!”

“Humm...but I want to hear it now.” Taeyeon said as she smiled widely.

Sighing, “Fine. You are amazing and I couldn’t beat another level 2 without your amazing guidance.”

With her win, Taeyeon sat back down and opened the envelope to read the paper, “...no way...”

Jessica tried to peak over but the pain in her ribs only made her look so far, “What is it?”

Taeyeon was at a loss for words so she held up the paper that had a giant “6.”

Jessica read a bit before saying, “I am in level 6?”

Taeyeon nodded.

“Is that even possible? I skipped so many levels.”

Taeyeon shrugged, “It is the first time I have seen it happen, but then again, there are many things I see happening with you Jessica.”

“Is that a good or bad thing...all these new things you keep seeing?”

Taeyeon looked up into Jessica’s eyes, “I guess only time will tell.”

Seeing the gentle smile from Taeyeon, Jessica found herself smiling back at the girl.

Author's Note

A bit of a short chapter but I am sure it was a long awaited one. Sorry I am a bit busy these days with work (why I also had to put that short story on hold for a bit). I am trying to get these regular updates out first before doing any kind of other stories.

TTS has an MV out and Taeyeon as Best Female Artist...so much happening in Soshi world!!! Author is very happy these days!