The Music Masters: Audio Supremacy

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The crowd seemed to cheer like it was thirsting for blood. Seth couldn't help but feel an ominous knot in his stomach, as the television screen showed Malik and Trey descending down separate flights of platinum stairs into the the vast Platinum Bowl below.

"So let's introduce our contestants!" yelled the announcer, right before the camera focused on Malik. "On one side, we have twenty-four year old Malik Lenarres, who's come all the way from Kingston, Jamaica. Will he be one of the few Music Masters who have taken the Platinum Record overseas? We'll find out soon enough!"

"On the opposite side, comes a twenty-one year old American! Trey Webster, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin! Does he have what it takes to wrestle the Platinum Record from foreign hands? Only time, and good ol' fashioned fighting, will tell!"

The crowd cheered wildly again. Seth gulped as he watched a timer above the bleachers count numbers down from twenty. The announcer went on as the timer slowly edged towards zero. "Alright, Music Masters, it's time to crank up the volume! The winner is the first to three goals, while the loser leaves the tournament! In the event of any injury, the player who is most able to continue wins the match by default!"

Up in the suite, Seth and the others continued to watch with anticipation. But down in the Platinum Bowl, the contestants were in a completely different mindset. And it was these very mindsets that would decide life or death for them down in the Platinum Bowl.

"Alright, Music Masters!" the announcer said as the timer reached two seconds before zero. "It's time. FOR. ONSLAUGHT!!!"

The crowd cheered with such volume that Malik wished his music could cover their noise. Being able to Multi-Hear could be such an annoyance sometimes. But nevertheless, his mind still went into a focused train of thought, and he found himself running forward as his song effect simultaneously manifested inside and outside his head.

Time seemed to move like molasses as Malik leaped forward, orange afterimages appearing around his legs as he cartwheeled towards the ball now situated in the middle of the Platinum Bowl. He could only somewhat ignore the crowd and their excessive cheering, but his core worked with him as he used the capoeira that had helped him many, many times in the past.

The ball was so close within reach. It had been no easy walk, even with the help Malik's music provided. But as a long, sinuous tentacle, something that truly belonged in a nightmare, lashed out at Malik with killing intent, he realized only now that his fight had only just begun.

The concrete floor cracked slightly as the meaty tentacle lashed about, with Malik barely dodging it as he took the ball in his hand and proceeded to perform a back flip. He skidded back a few feet, and had Trey in his full view now. The man in front of him was clearly far from human, a long bloody tendril in place of where his left hand should have been. Trey tipped his hat, and laughed to himself as he approached Malik with a carefree gait.

"Oh, this is going to be fun, my little Tangerine. I'm gonna rip you into so many pieces that they'll need a fucking microscope to put you back together." Trey said manically as he lashed out towards Malik again. The Jamaican jumped to one side, the ball still in his hand as he kicked hard in mid-air. In response, Malik'e song effect manifested as a disc-shaped afterimage, which slammed right into Trey's tentacle arm and knocked him back just a bit.

"Oh, I'm in so much pain!" Trey mocked. "Come on, fresh meat! Let's see what you can do! Let's see if you can get past me!"

Malik narrowed his eyes, keeping the ball under his arm as he sprinted forward. Orange afterimages materialized around him, distorting his path with their glow. He swayed from side to side in mid-run, making sure to keep a semblance of his ginga. When the last possible moment came, Malik made a wide jump forward, barely going over the long tentacle from Trey's wrist as he saw the opposing hoop within throwing range. Malik ignored the crowd, his own thoughts, and Trey's insufferable music in that moment. He only had so many chances in his life, and this was one of them. With all his strength, Malik threw the ball forward.

He caught a breath, and then heard a loud buzzing as his score went up by one point above. The ball rolled past the goal hoop, and for a brief moment, Malik almost forget where he was due to the sheer disbelief of actually obtaining his first point. He had less than a second to realize that Trey's bloody tentacle was coming claim him.

There was a flurry of blows as Malik flipped backwards, dodging the tentacle and delivering more of his concussive after images. Energy bounced painfully against exposed nerves as Malik kicked Trey hard in the chest and used his weight against him. With another foot pushing down against the tentacle, Malik found himself looking down at Trey. He had him pinned completely, the pulsating, nerve-numbing energy from his song effect managing to keep the tentacle from struggling enough to break free.

"Looks like tis game, friend. Unless you can get up and get de ball over there." Malik teased as he continued to pin Trey. Not surprisingly, Trey just shook his head and grinned wildly. He licked his lips before addressing Malik in a very confident tone of voice.

"You're such a fucking dumbass. Exactly the kind I like to skewer!" he stated, leaving Malik to wonder just how screwed up Trey was in his head. But as the crowd screamed, Seth and the others watched in horror from their suite, and the ball waited for someone to take it in a lonely corner of the Platinum Bowl, Malik failed to see something happening to Trey's tongue.

He didn't even have time to take another breath, before an explosion of blood blurred his view. Air escaped his lips as he looked down weakly, only to see a snaking tendril that had pierced a hole right through the left side of his chest. Malik coughed violently as Trey's tongue, which had become a disgusting tendril that mimicked the one coming out his left arm, literally lifted the impaled Jamaican Music Master in the air. He was suspended for a thirty seconds, before Trey got bored and just tossed him aside like a bloody rag doll.

The muscular, bloody tongue snaked right back into Seth's mouth, and he grinned triumphantly as the crowd seemed to half-cheer, half-boo him. He clapped for himself, and looked toward the camera with eager eyes, licking a few flicks of blood off his lips. Glancing over at Malik's body, he shook his head before chuckling.

"Well, I guess that's one way to penetrate someone. At least you didn't die a virgin, Tangerine!" he stated before he began another horrible bout of laughter.

The moment Trey's mutated tongue went through Malik's chest, Martin's stomach rumbled in pain and he was off to the bathroom. And that was no surprise to Seth, whose mind rocked with disbelief as he watched what had happened at the screen. Malik had been winning, and he had been showing Trey up for five minutes straight. And then, in an instant, the nutjob had truly pulled a psychopathic move, and actually killed him in one fell swoop.

"This is crazy. This is fucking crazy. He killed him. The bastard killed him!" Seth yelled as he held back the urge to throw something at the television screen.

Seth had been right the whole time. Trey really was a psychopath. Thoughts of Kim began to float through Seth's head, and nightmares formed as images of her little body being torn apart enter his mind. He could hear Trey's laughter in his head as the others heard it from the television screen. Seth, stressed out now beyond words, put his hands on his head, trying to calm himself down, yet at the same time trying to rationalize that the quick round he'd just witnessed was some sort of joke.

Of course, ignorance was bliss, and Seth could only lie to himself for so long before the horrible truth truly dawned on him.
 
"No!" Billy half-screamed, falling off the couch. "Malik! That asshole!" she shouted. She turned to the others, "That wasn't cool! That is so not cool!"

Billy was absolutely horrified. She wanted to shout at the TV and throw up. "Just wait 'til I get my hands on that guy!" she growled. "Out of the competition, no rules. I'll tear that fucking bastard apart!"

Malik almost had him, until that psycho path showed his true colours. His true TRUE colours.

Billy was on her knees now, having quieted down to a grim silence. What could she say? It was over for Malik, there was nothing any of them could do about it. She sighed and brought her knees up to her chest, sitting silently.
 
There came a point where Seth had become silent and just turned the television off. There was no reason to watch anymore, as it had become clear that in some way, Zero Beat was in on the whole thing. Apparently, the announcer officially stated that Malik had been dealt an "accidental injury" and had been taken to a medical facility below the Platinum Bowl. Seth just felt disgusted at the prospect. Why didn't they just say the truth, that in reality they were taking him to the morgue.

Selena stood up from the couch, an annoyed expression on her face, as if she was completely unphased by the events she had just witnessed. "Hmph, I'm not surprised much by this. This is what happens to overconfident Music Masters. Always thinking they can do whatever they wa-"

"Bitch!" said a very angered Martin as he returned from the bathroom. "Just shut the hell up. No one wants to hear what you have to say!"

Seth put a reassuring hand on Billy's shoulder, and was about to say something to try and comfort her, when he heard the sound of music emerging in the room. The relaxing song from before slowly increased in volume as green energy sparked from the floor. Seth had already picked up his guitar by the time it dissipated. He was walking fast towards an unaware Trey, his hand gripped tightly around the neck of his guitar.

The guy didn't even have time to take a breath as Seth passed the Second Beat and pushed his guitar hard into Trey, pinning him up against the wall. Seth's expression showed nothing less than pure rage, and he glared at Trey, fire easily apparent in his eyes.

"You really are one crazy motherfucker, and you went and killed him! I have every reason to beat you within an inch of life!" Seth threatened. Trey, as expected, simply laughed.

"Yeah, go ahead. Then you'll definitely lose out on Audio Supremacy for sure. Sorry! It's not my fault that some of us get some perks on their road to the Platinum Record, while others don't. But hey, at least your friend Malik really stuck out this round!" Trey joked manically, and in response, Seth pushed him towards the ground angrily. In one hard strike, he brought the end of guitar down on Trey's cheek like a bat, splattering blood onto the floor as he broke one of Trey's teeth. But despite the injury, Trey just continued to laugh madly, while the Second Beat got a hold around a heavily breathing Seth. His grip was strong, but Seth struggled nevertheless, eager for another blow against Trey.

"You goddamn psycho!" he roared. "I'm not going to let you bathe the Platinum Record in everybody's blood! Not in your fucking dreams!"

Selena, who had taken Martin's words to heart and began to realize what was going on, put a hand on Billy's shoulder and whispered to her before she could intervene.

"Listen to me. Don't even try it. This will get us all kicked out if it escalates any further, so if you value the possibility of winning, I'd stay out of this. Your boyfriend is right. Trey is a psycho. But he's not worth losing the Platinum Record to."
 
Billy glared at Trey. Selena's words were perhaps the only things holding her back. All of her instincts told her to grab whatever was left of Seth's guitar and finish Trey off.

She looked at the Second Beat who was holding Seth. "Wait! You can't allow that!" she argued, standing up. She looked directly at the Second Beat. "We all saw what happened! That was no accident!" she said, pointing to Trey. "That guy's a nutjob, don't tell me this is all some psycho plan you all have cooked up."
 
Without saying a word, the Second Beat let go of Seth. Seth picked up his guitar, noticing a small bloodstain on the end but noting no damage otherwise. Trey, meanwhile, was picking himself up as the Second Beat went by his side.

"It is not my jurisdiction whether or not Trey Webster stays. That is up the Fourth Beat, and he has decreed that Malik Lenarres loses the round and Trey gains a win. I have no control over such a thing. It is set in stone already." the Second Beat told Billy in a very harsh tone of voice. Seth assumed that the guy just didn't care that someone was dead, and it pissed him off even more.

"It's bullshit." Seth remarked angrily. "That's what it is. I should have known known Zero Beat was going to be like this. Letting psychos get kills for fun like this is some sort of big video game. You people are real scum, you know that?"

"I could easily have you disqualified, Seth Ramone, for what you just pulled. Assaulting a competitor outside a match is more than enough. But for some inane reason, something is stopping me. So I'll inform you now. This is your only warning. Starting now, I shall find an alternate place for Trey to stay." the Second Beat noted, as he saw the expressions around him that seemed so angrily focused on Trey. "It is obvious that he is not welcome here."

"Yeah, you got that right." Seth stated as the Second Beat put his hand on Trey's forehead and began his song effect again.

"Enjoy a small break while it lasts. You have a few hours before any of you are to compete in Onslaught." the Second Beat said, before the green energy went to work enveloping him and Trey. Seth got one good look at Trey before he dissipated, and could see that toothy grin. The very sight of it made Seth want to hit Trey with his guitar again, but harder this time.

When they were finally gone, Seth dropped on the couch, trying to forget that Malik was now dead and gone. He had known the guy for less than two hours, but somehow, Seth felt like it had made an impact on him.

"God, I need one of life's comforts right now. This is too much. I'm gonna have a damn migrane soon." Seth complained as he laid on the couch, looking up at the ceiling with stress easily apparent on his face.
 
Billy sighed and sat down on the couch next to him.

"This is mad," she said, tilting her head a little. "I should just quit. This is an injustice, I'd rather be at home."

Billy put a hand on Seth's shoulder. "But I can't do that, can I?"
 
"None of us can." Seth said as he turned to Billy. "Because whatever we do, we can't let Trey win the Platinum Record."

"Well, duh. That should be obvious. It's priceless, for one thing." Selena commented, causing Seth to turn and face her with a very serious look on his face.

"It's not the price of the Platinum Record we should worry about. The thing itself is a big status symbol among all Music Masters. And on top of that, he gets an automatic spot of authority in Zero Beat if he wants. Do you know what kind of power that could give Trey? Can you imagine what a bloodthirsty psychopath like him could do with that power?"

Martin gulped. "I don't think I want to imagine something like that..."

"Exactly." Seth said he stood up. "Which means one of us in this room has to win, no matter what. It's the least we can do for Malik."

Seth looked around the room, gauging the results of what each person might do if they won. Martin seemed to only care about the fame, and Selena was probably the same. He wasn't sure about Billy, and he was even less sure about himself. What would he do with the Platinum Record, if he really did win? If anything, Seth would figure out that question when he had it safely in his hands.

And at this point, Seth assumed that even the silent, hostile girl, who was notably absent from all these events, was a better choice as the winner than Trey would ever be. Whatever she planned on doing couldn't be worse than what Trey was capable of, Seth thought.

"I think I'm going to need some alone time now, guys." Seth then stated. "I'll see you all later."

He then proceeded to walk to his room, with guitar in hand, closing the door behind him and turning off the light inside. As Selena went about her own business, Martin sneaked up on Billy, whispering in her ear.

"Hey. I think he wants some company. He just totally doesn't want to say it. But I think he needs it, you know? And not from me. I'm a boy, after all. It's different between us. But you're a girl, and he likes you. You could cheer him up."
 
Billy thought about what Seth said for a few moments. It was true, one of them HAD to win, to be sure that Trey wouldn't be given any sort of authority. She wanted to win, but she wasn't sure what she would do. More than likely, she'd end up being a useless authority figure.

She looked up and watched Seth as he left to his room. Then Billy turned to Martin with a serious expression. She sighed a little. "You're probably right, and it wouldn't do any harm in asking him, right?" Billy said as she stood up.

Billy walked to Seth's room slowly and quietly, not wanting him to hear her as she approached his door. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door lightly. "S-seth?" she stuttered a little. Billy shook her head and cleared her throat. "Seth?" she said in a stronger voice, "Mind if I come in?"
 
Seth sighed to himself in the darkness. For some reason, he enjoyed the fact that he couldn't see anything. His heart had been racing since the moment he had first watched Malik die on the television, and only in the last five minutes had it been progressively slowing down. Laying on his bed, with his shirt off and his guitar in his arms, Seth was trying to decide if he wanted to play a song or if he wanted to go to sleep.

The he heard the sound of someone knocking, and he turned towards the door. Billy's voice sounded oddly nervous at first, before she confidently asked if she could come inside the room. Seth turned to look at the door, contemplating whether or not he wanted Billy's company.

He carelessly plucked on his guitar before responding in an uninterested tone of voice. "Feel free. I'm not doing much."

Seth listened as Billy let herself in, playing a quick chord as he continued to lean against the wall on his bed. "Leave the light off. The darkness in here is nice, especially with the shade down."

Seth heard Billy sat down next to him. In the darkness created by the heavy shade and the light being off, he could see a relative outline of her body in front of him. He wondered if her vision was good enough that she'd notice that he was shirtless.

"So." Seth began, though in a low and defeated tone of voice. "What brings you here? Worried about your upcoming match?"
 
Billy sat down, staying silent. It took her eyes a while to adjust to the darkness, when they did she noticed that Seth had his shirt off. Luckily, she was sure it was too dark for him to notice her cheeks turning a dark shade of red. She remained silent for a while after he asked her a question. Finally she replied, her voice quiet.

"I uh... I was just wondering if you wanted some company," she said, her heart pounding. Billy stood up. "I'm sorry, you said you wanted to be alone. I should leave," Billy said nervously.
 
"Wait, wait." Seth said as he heard Billy get up. "There's no rush. It's good that you're here."

His mind was going in ten different directions as he spoke. He felt strange, and almost disconnected, for some reason. Words were coming out of his mouth that he couldn't necessarily control. Maybe it was the stress of having lost Malik coming out all at once, or maybe he was just being more assertive than usual. Frankly, he couldn't really tell.

"Sit down. You're welcome to lean on me or whatever, if it makes you more comfortable. I'm just chilling in the darkness. Nothing wrong with that." Seth said, his lips curling in an almost sinister way that he hoped Billy couldn't see in the darkness.

"Besides." Seth stated as he sat up for a moment. "I don't really want you and your tight jeans to leave, if you know what I mean."

Seth could feel his nerves heating up all over his body. He was really wishing he could just see Billy in the full light right now.
 
Billy's senses felt like they were exploding. She was literally senseless as she sat back down, she leaned toward Seth until their faces were only inches apart. She could feel her heart pounding harder, so hard she felt as though it would jump out at any minute. She blinked a couple of times, examining him in the dark.

"I..." she began, but she stopped. Billy leaned away. "I don't know what you mean," she said. She put a hand on her chest in attempt to slow her heart down. "You should explain what you mean," she said gently, a smile on her face.
 
Seth could begin to see hints of Billy's outline in the darkness, and his mind was practically mystified by her sudden beauty. Putting his guitar aside, he gently touched the hair above her forehead with one hand, a smile on his face.

"Come on." Seth teased, his eyes still in a strange daze. "We both know what's going on here."

Another grin emerged out of Seth's smile. "How much time do we have? A few hours, he said? Come on, Billy. We can calm down together."

His hand rested on her cheek, and he could feel the warmth of her blush. Seth chuckled out loud.

"Wow. Somebody's nervous. I like that. Just like I like you."
 
Billy smiled again. She put a hand over his and turned to him again. "You like making me nervous, do you?" she asked, her tone playful. She was now completely aware of what was happening. At that moment now, there was nothing in the world but her, Seth, and the room they were in. Not even the entire room, mainly the bed and the thought of calming down together.

She took her hand away from his and put it on his bare chest. "Hm," she murmered, grinning, "What do you propose we do then?" she asked, her voice quiet and gentle.
 
"I've got a few ideas." Seth said, as he stood up from the bed and went for the door. There was an audible click as he locked it tight, so that not even Martin's curiosity could find its way in. That was the last thing he needed right now.

Then, Seth leaned down so that he and Billy were face to face. He could see the color of her eyes, even in the darkness. A smile emerged on his lips as he contemplated what he was doing. Then it all become lost in the muddle of his thoughts, as like a shark, he went in for the kill.

It had been eons since he had kissed a girl, but the moment his lips touched Billy's, it felt like it had only been yesterday that he'd been with his previous girlfriend, Eliza. Billy's lips tasted like the most flavorful black cherry, which made Seth think of soda and had his heart beating faster than it already was. Seth's hands made their way to Billy's waist as he continued to kiss her, and he wondered if he was going just a bit too far. It seemed to him, that if he was going to get slapped in the face or thrown against the wall for his actions, it would happen in the next few seconds.

So, Seth just tried to enjoy the sensation while it lasted. It was helping him calm down, after all...
 
That was the breaking point for her senses. Billy's instincts took over, letting her mind and body go for what they wanted. She felt Seth's lips against hers and his hands go to her waist. Her hands went up to his neck and she pulled him closer gently. She didn't want to rush what was happening, but she also didn't want to wait long.

She felt herself smile against his lips as they continued to kiss. Again, the world had disappeared and they were all that was left. Billy's entire self was submerged in bliss, something she hadn't felt until that moment.
 
It was hard for Seth to realize where this was going, as he felt himself moving Billy down onto the bed, his own body following suit. They continued to kiss as Seth felt his shoes brush against the covers, and his arm nudged one of pillows aside. His heart was practically pounding in his chest, and his mouth screamed for a breath, but he just didn't want to let go. In the back of his mind, he was telling himself that this was an act of pure lust, a distraction to the horrible event he had witnessed only moments before.

In reality, he didn't care. Seth finally detached from Billy's mouth, and began to kiss her neck as his hands reached for his belt. He pulled it out of the loops as he continued to gently kiss her all the way down to her shoulder. Seth's brain burned in protest, unable to control his impulses as his hand went under her shirt and onto her chest.

He continued to kiss her all through this, though it was becoming apparent in the back of his mind that he was going a bit too far. Naturally, Seth tried to fight his impulses, but hormones were taking him over, and he failed against himself. He could feel himself practically fondling Billy underneath her shirt, and Seth wished he could look away, unable to believe what he was doing.

But his gaze remained on her, and his lips continued to gently peck at her neck.
 
-Is this that 'heat of the moment' thing?- Billy wondered as she and Seth lay down on the bed. She couldn't exactly think straight though, especially not as Seth's lips moved down to her neck and shoulder. She could feel one of her hands gripping the bed sheets while the other remained on his neck. She felt Seth's hand in her shirt, but didn't really care. Billy willed her mind to think straight, even if just for a moment.

Finally, despite the protests from the rest of her body, Billy's mouth and voice formed a few audible words. "S-seth," she said, "Slow down a little." All the while her body, or hormones, screamed -no- at her, but she knew they had to pace themselves, if only a little.
 
Seth's mind seemed to bring itself back to reality, if only a little bit, the moment he heard Billy's voice. His hand slipped out from underneath her shirt, and he stopped kissing her. Seth felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, mainly because he realized he had been seconds from taking his pants off, and he even with them still on, he figured Billy would soon figure out where all his embarrassment was coming from, especially with them being so close to one another.

"Wow..." Seth said as looked down at Billy and spoke between breaths. "I lost myself a little there."

Seth kissed her on the cheek, before moving down her neck again. "It's just that you're so hot. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want you bad, Billy. You, your tight jeans, and everything else included."

Seth smiled, but it faded as he searched for a reaction on Billy's face. "That is, as long as you want me too."
 
Billy smiled a little as he kissed her on the cheek. "I do, I want you badly too," she replied as he kissed her neck again.

"But don't get too crazy," Billy told him, "Slow down, just a little."

She put her arms around Seth, holding him close. After a few moments, smiling again, Billy put her hands on his cheeks and brought their lips together.
 
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