Ch. 12: Preview #4

☄☄ “A knight must have pure heart.”☄☄

His chest throbbed as he saw the Lady at close range, serene and truly stunning.  The stepping stones ended here though; an impassable stretch of water separated him from her.  Not that he’d even have a chance with her anyway.  “Ermmm…”

A big, two-handed flask was propped between two rocks.  It was red, shaped like a heart, and on the front it read: ‘PURE HEART’.

Well, that was a little on the nose.

“Wh… What does it do?” he shouted.

She could definitely hear him, but replied only, ☄☄ “Do you have Pure Heart, sir knight?”☄☄

He groaned.  “I … I guess I’m about to, aren’t I?”  His trepidation rose as he unscrewed the cap.  The red liquid had a robust, almost sweet smell to it—not sour or bitter like the Mouse potions. 

He felt a tugging in the back of his mind.  Without thinking, he turned his head in the direction he’d last seen Jen.  With embarrassment, he realized it was a built-in reflex to seek his Mighty’s advice.  Or permission.  And failing to find her made him feel lost.

＼(｀0´)／ “Pure heart!!” ＼(｀0´)／ the crowd began to chant.  ＼(｀0´)／ “Pure heart!!” ＼(｀0´)／

Potions only went badly for him on this show, but he decided Jen would want him to drink it.  That overrode all other concerns.  Pinching his eyes shut, he glugged the surprisingly palatable liquid down.

His breath caught in his throat as the strangest of feelings came through him.  Not the shrinking, not the withering… This was the complete opposite.  Invigorating, strengthening… growing!

He shrieked in surprise as the ground receded beneath him, his eyes rising along the bark of the trees, his spandex Mouse suit groaning and stretching, yielding; his greaves sliding up his ankles, his bracers retreating from his hands.  When it finally stopped, the armor fit him perfectly; his chest big and sturdy; his arms once again strong.  He’d grown not a little, but a ton!

“Apo-Reverso,” he breathed, disbelieving his eyes.  This was what he’d been waiting for.  They’d actually done it!

Amidst the startled cheering of the crowd, his eyes settled on the gorgeous babe and returned her smile.  Clenched his hands into fists, felt the forgotten energy…excitement…power.

☄☄ “You are ready, brave knight.”☄☄

What will Jen think?  This thundercloud of worry rained on his parade.  He was suddenly horrified, frightened of Jen seeing him like this.  Babbled excuses were already springing to mind for what he’d say when he saw her again.  This had to be just a short-term formula, right?  Surely it’d wear off tonight or tomorrow, reverting before Saturday’s round?  Would Jen be willing to bank on this?  Or was he about to receive her rage in full?

☄☄ “Trust in yourself, o valiant one.  Do not fear.” ☄☄

Maybe the Lady was right.  What’s done was done.  Surely Jen would understand his mistake; he couldn’t have known better.  In the meantime, he might as well use what he got.

He raised his fists in slowly-building confidence.  “Yes,” he tested nervously, but found his voice deeper than it had been in weeks.  “Yes,” he proclaimed, louder and bolder.  “Yes!”

A heavy, badass guitar riff shredded through the arena, propelling him on an adrenaline-pumped dash over stone and ground.  He FLEW through it, his legs strong and sure, his armor no longer so heavy.  Now he rushed over grassy hills, into the clearing and right up the mound of stone.

“HrrrYAHHH!”  He freed the sword from the stone on the first try!  Holy shit, that was awesome!

The guitar riff gave way to full-blown battle metal as Theo, like some crazed idiot, charged headlong down the mound dragging the still-heavy sword behind him, running straight at the trio of guards.  He was as big as them now, and he didn’t stop; he didn’t think; he just… “Rrraghh!!  HiiYaahh!”…swung the dull sword like a bludgeon, smacking one Mouse after another!  Each time it connected, the arena flashed like lightning and the speakers roared like thunder, as the cubs toppled away like bowling pins.  He couldn’t swing hard enough to actually hurt them, in their padded suits; they were clearly just feigning unconsciousness as they lay strewn on the ground, all part of the script.  But hell, it felt good!

The mysterious captor’s voice called out again, sensual but tinged with irritation.  ☄☄ “What?  The Lady gave you her blessing?  Preposterous!” ☄☄

“No, it’s not,” Theo growled, advancing.  Through the gate, he climbed the spiral stairs up to a ledge.  A pit of spikes down below (really just foam).  A horizontal beam overhead, sloping down to the lower platform beyond.

With confidence came quick thinking!  The sword was taxing his arms majorly, but he slung it up over the bar, grabbed the blade on the other side, and let gravity carry him across like a zipline.