Chapter 21 - A Battle of Intellect: Blake vs. Ally Kat

December 27^th, 8:18 PM

To trust someone even after they’ve taken everything away from you. Is that love? Or stupidity?

~*F*~

“Blake? What are you doing here? And dressed as a janitor no less?” Ally asked.

“You- you...” Blake stuttered. “Why in the world did you pretend to be dead? You could have said goodbye at least. Why didn't you come back? I mean, I had a feeling you were alive, but still, that’s no way to go, you know?”

“I had little choice, Blake. I knew that after we took down the Organization, all the criminals would be loose, and I would be in danger. Especially since I couldn't move,” Ally replied.

“If you couldn’t move, how come nobody could find you?” Blake asked.

“Someone else found me and kept me in hiding until I healed. After that, I didn’t want to just waste my time chit-chatting with you. I needed to go catch those criminals that escaped,” Ally explained.

“But-but-”

“Anyway, I’m here now. And you never answered why you were dressed as a janitor here.”

“Because I am the janitor,” Blake retorted.

“You couldn’t get a better job?” Ally raised her eyebrow in distrust.

“Everyone hates me now because I was at the core of it.”

“Did you ever try explaining the situation?” Alameda asked, her eyes narrowing.

“They don’t deserve to know what really happened. If they want to hate me, then fine,” Blake replied.

“Oh, brother.” Ally Kat rolled her eyes.

“Anyway, who’s that guy you’re with?” Blake questioned, pointing a finger at Konrad.

“Why should I tell you?” Ally asked.

“Aren’t I your friend?” Blake asked, taken aback by this response.

“Nope! I told you, I only stuck with you to get into the Organization. I used you. You were simply a tool. Nothing more, nothing less,” she said haughtily.

“I liked Alameda Bryce better,” Blake mumbled.

“Yeah, well, she doesn’t exist. This is who I am, so you’ve gotta just live with it.”

“How do you know? You can’t possibly know who you really are,” Blake sneered.

“My past doesn’t matter. I am me now. That’s all,” Ally replied.

“Ugh, why don’t you have any weaknesses, Ally?”

“I have weaknesses. You’re just not smart enough to see them.”

“Ally, I didn’t realize you could be so harsh,” Kon intervened.

“Be quiet! Who are you?” Blake shouted unnecessarily.

“I am Konrad Aimery, the leader of GWANAN.”

“What are you doing here?” Blake asked.

“Ally and I are on a date,” Kon spoke simply.

“A what?” Blake asked quickly.

“A date.”

Blake stood aghast for a second and then, “Ah- Hahahahaha! Wow, that was a good one. Your leader is funny, isn’t he, Ally?”

“Um... actually it wasn’t a joke, Blake. He and I are on a date,” Ally explained.

“So... you guys are like... a couple now?” the janitor questioned nervously.

“Are you kidding? Don’t be ridiculous!” Ally exclaimed.

“Then leave GWANAN. Leave GWANAN and come back here.”

“No,” Ally said sharply.

Blake paused a moment. “You remember when you said you were willing to bet the outcome of our battle on a chess game?”

“Yeah.”

“How about we officially finish that battle right here and now? If you win, I’ll do whatever you wish. If I win, you leave GWANAN and stay here.”

“Alright, it’s a deal.” Ally agreed without hesitation.

“Um... right now? Ally, what about our date?” Kon asked.

“We’ll continue it after this chess game,” she replied.

“But- okay, fine,” Kon consented reluctantly.

“You’re white, Blake.”

“Very well.”

The two of them sat at the table and set up the game. Meanwhile, Konrad sighed and watched. They used a timer so the game would go faster, but even so, it lasted a while. Blake had good defenses, but Ally managed to cut through them by sacrificing many of her own pieces. Towards the end, Ally ended up with a queen, a knight and a rook, while Blake had a few pawns and a bishop. Blake managed to turn two of his pawns into queens at the expense of his bishop and the other pawn.

“This is insane,” Kon stated, watching closely.

“I’m not going to let you win, Alameda. There’s no chance,” Blake said, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

“No chance for you to win? Ha! For once, you’re right. Your move,” Ally said coolly.

“I’ll finally be able to make you stay here again. Your move.”

“Even a pet cat is not bound to it’s owner. Cats are the symbol of freedom. You can’t just lock me up without losing an arm and a leg. You’re turn.”

“I’m willing to lose an arm and a leg if that’s what it takes to get you to understand. Your move.”

“Well, we’ll never know will we? Check.”

“Oh, yes we will. Your turn.”

“I don’t think so. Check mate,” Ally announced.

“Aaaaahhhh, I knew I would never beat you. You’re just too good, Ally Kat,” Blake said, suddenly changing from his hostile voice to a humble and friendly one.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” Ally said, doing the same.

The two shook hands and Konrad exclaimed, “Hold on, hold on! A second ago, you were so hostile to each other and now that Ally won, you’re suddenly friends again?”

“Of course! Because Ally Kat is Ally Kat. If she had lost, I never would have forgiven her, because she would no longer be that same girl I always admired. But anyway, the way to win a girl over is not by fighting the girl, but by fighting the guy she’s with.”

“But I don’t really play chess.”

“Not chess. A real battle. Whoever touches his knee to the ground first, loses.”

“But-”

“Not here and now. I have to get back to work now. Meet me in ten days at noon. We’ll have our battle then.” Blake got up and left.

Ally stretched. “Well, that was fun. What do you want to do now, Konrad?”

Konrad said nothing, but simply, grabbed her hand and walked out (he had paid for the food during the chess game). He bought her ice cream and the two of them walked to the lake. Konrad stayed quiet throughout all of this.

“Konrad?”

“Hm?”

“You’re awfully quiet. Did what Blake said weird you out or something?”

“I’m not going to fight him.”

“Huh?”

“You should be free to choose what you want to do and who you want to go with, so I’m not going to fight for you.”

“You’re going to forfeit?”

“No.”

“Then-”

“Ally. Have I... been keeping you locked up?”

“Kon-” Ally looked up at him with wide eyes and then they narrowed and she punched him hard in the face. “Stupid boy. You think you can force me to stay with you? I thought I said earlier, that no matter where they are, cats will always be free. I’m here because I want to be here. I’m here because you give me food. That’s all.”

“Oh. So that’s why you let me take you on a date. You just really wanted some free fish.”

“Of course! Ah, fish. It’s so tasty. This ice cream tastes good too. I wonder if I ever ate this stuff as a kid. Although, I think I’d remember this ice cream. It’s so good!”

“You really don’t remember anything. Do you?”

“Hmm?”

“That ice cream. You've had that before. I saw you buy some from here a long time ago. That’s when I discovered it myself.”

“Kon?”

“I’ve been horrible to you. Testing you like this. But I had to know for sure. I had to be certain that your memory was truly gone.”

“Why would you-”

“Ally. If your memory ever comes back. Please, don’t run away from me. Despite everything, I’ve come to really trust you. I don’t want to lose you. So, even if you remember everything. Even if you realize everything from the past, don’t disappear the way you did with Blake. Please?” A single tear rolled down Konrad’s cheek. Ally was so alarmed by this that she only stood frozen in place and never uttered a single word. Finally, Konrad seemed to pull himself together and laughed. “I’m sorry. That probably sounds really weird. Thanks for going out with me, Ally. Even if it was only for the food.” Here he handed her a bundle of Forget-Me-Not flowers he had been hiding and gave her a peck on the cheek before rushing off.

“Hey! Get back here! You can’t just steal a kiss and then run away. Come back here and prepare yourself for a sock in the mouth. Hey!” Ally ran after Konrad, but quickly stopped pursuit and looked down at the Forget-Me-Nots in her hand. “Konrad. Why were you crying? What did I do before that makes you so frightened of my regaining my memories?” she asked herself.

Alameda walked back to the airship where Ven and Carumati were waiting. Konrad didn’t return that night and Ally slept fitfully.