PROMO: What it takes

[Thoth 0]

The feeling of slamming his fist down against cold steel is the most stimulation Thoth has had in the past 5 minutes. Before this, he has been sensory deprived, swimming in his own confusion, slumped down in a steel chair. His fist has crashed into the metal underside of it.

 

“She's even... with me?” he mutters to himself. The match ended in a double countout. It ended that way because Taiga Star was either to stubborn, or too stupid, to know that she was supposed to fall down when his hand struck her. The last thing she's supposed to do is hit back! And then, the steel chairs. He couldn't keep her down.

 

He couldn't keep her down. They had to be separated; he couldn't finish it.

 

He pounds the chair again. Steel doesn't budge. Kibagami has fallen asleep in his corner of the locker room. Thoth shakes his head. “Useless... utterly useless.” He frowns, his mind made up. He reaches into a bag and pulls out a neat, straight, previously-opened envelope. It shows no signs of wear and tear, as if it had rarely been used. He opens it and pulls out a piece of paper.

 

*

INITIAL DOSE 80 MG

FIRST STEP DOWN 60 MG

SECOND STEP DOWN 30 MG

*

 

He double-checks the paper to make sure, then replaces the paper in the envelope, pushing it back into the bag, and rummaging through it to find a syringe and a bottle. Thoth calmly and deftly inserts the syringe into the bottle, drawing out until just, exactly, the liquid stops at the mark on the syringe marked “60 MG.” He looks at Kibagami. “Thirty more minutes,” he mutters again, shifting in his seat. He leans back and shuts his eyes.

 

“She's even with me.” He starts to hear it in his head differently. No ellipses after the word “even.” The concept is less foreign to him; they've battled several times now. Is it... okay to feel that way?

 

Hell, why Taiga Star? From that moment months ago, when he sat up in bad, seeing her on the TV, something snapped within him. Or no, was it always there, and just rising to the surface?

 

Is it because of her gender? The swimming in Thoth's head ceases for a moment. Never considered that angle. Just as quickly, Kibagami stirs in his slumber, breaking Thoth's concentration.

 

If he's going to break Taiga Star, he's going to have to go for broke.