Listen to them...these people are sick. These fans...all they fuckin' want is to see our blood all over this battlefield, that's all they want. They don't care about any honorable battles, they don't give two shits whether or not we shake each other's hands...they just want a drop-down, drag-out bloodfest where the loser dies and the winner makes his way closer to the top.

They don't care that, despite who we are, we have families at home. They don't care that some of us have a woman in our lives we might be lovin', they just don't care. Hell, half of the people in this place are high on some type of drug, and the other half are drunk off their asses. What the hell did I get myself into?!

And just look at who the fuck I'm facing!

Jay Bird, a guy I always saw as a hero despite his harsh ways of handling crime, has KILLED a man here in this thing! He let the bloodlust take ahold of him and he ripped Merritt Evil's heart right out his own back! How the hell can I be sure he won't try the same damn thing on me? Why should I feel safe fighting another hero when that hero murdered a man in cold blood?

I can't stand the fact that I don't know what to do with this situation...I'm supposed to be the damn hero, I'm supposed to be on top of things. I shouldn't be worried about this guy and yet now that he's done what he's done I am, and I can't help but fuckin' worry that he'll try somethin' on me during this thing.

"My friend," I hear his voice call out, his eyes locking with mine and bringing me to glare in anger, "Don't be afraid of me just because I killed Merritt Evil. You're not a villain, right? So why should I kill you?"

I could feel my blood boiling under the silver of my skin, my fists clenching tighter then I'd ever clenched them before. How the hell could someone be so God-damn stupid? "There was no reason for him to die!" I yelled at him, my stomach twisting in knots as I ignored the chants from the fans, completely content with not ever acknowledging their presence before me.

And here I was thinking this tournament would be a glorious one...ugh.

"He was a villain, that's reason enough!" Jay Bird snarled at me from across the battlefied, my eye twitching at his comment. This guy had gone off the deep end...I'd known he was a harsh fighter, but I never expected him to be this harsh.

"What then of the petty villains who never threaten the lives of the people of Capital City? You damn idiot, not all villains deserve to die!" I roared, damn near ready to just take myself over there and stomp a fucking mudhole in his ass. It was getting to where I could hardly stand the sound of his voice.

"A villain is a villain in my book, and that's all that matters! You're no villain, so you won't die!" his voice hit my ears like a bullet to the head, as I finally found that I had enough and began stomping my way over towards him, clenching my silver hoverboard under my arm. I knew that once I spoke my mind to this guy, he'd try to peck my eyes out...so I had to speak and run if I wanted this thing to start off in my favor.

I'd hate to open myself up to attack so early on, after all...I know this thing's going to last a long-ass time.

Dropping my hoverboard in front of him, I simply stepped up onto it and glared down at him from my vantage point, taking notice of his large wings and realizing I'd be in for much more then a 'run' for safety if I wanted to get away from him.

"You killed a man who meant to bring no death to you...and that is MURDER!" I began, the horrible image of Jay Bird's fist breaking through Merrit Evil's back both disgusting me and fueling my words with malice, "You're no hero...you YOURSELF are a villain!"

And off I go.

I could tell the instant that I even said those words that he was ready to come straight after me, because he refused to believe that he could possibly be wrong with the way that he handled things. My hoverboard quickly took me across the dome, as I could hear his wings flapping in the air and carrying him off after me, the fans erupting in cheers as the fight began.

It's really hard to believe that so many people are here cheering for the possible death of the heroes who protect their scrummy little asses every day. These ungrateful bastards have no idea how much we heroes have to sacrifice just to be who we are. There's not a single day that goes by where I think about what it would be like to have a normal life...and I try so hard to get it that way, but duty's always callin' and troubles always knockin' at my door. I can't have a family because my enemies might go after them, I can't have any normal friends because they might get caught in battle...I can't have a normal life without risking the lives of others.

Shane Perry might as well not exist...because he's been consumed with the flow of the things in his life. Sugar Smack's all that's left of him, and he's more then capable of handling the troubles coming his way.

So I guess, if I'm forever only going to be a hero...I might as well make the most of it, huh? Save as many lives as I can...protect this city to the best of my ability...

One of these days I'll make it to the top, I know I will. One of these days I'm going to be able to watch over this whole damn city, and know I'll do the best job that anyone could possibly do.

One of these days...I'm gonna be king, baby.

And ain't nobody gonna stop me.