Zesty (Quinn - Italian Dueling championship 2022)

The relief that flowed through her tiny body was palpable as Quinn tapped his wand to her head, probably using some kind of fancy magic to make her all better. Though it must have malfunctioned, the child reflected later. The pain stopped its throbbing beat inside her head, but it receded to a dull staccato that would become more insistent after a few hours. But that was for later. Now she simply gave him a bright grin and even jumped up to high five his hand. That was how Americans did things!

In the viewing area, the child tried to watch as attentively as she could, eyes darting between real time and action replays while she tried to understand everything the commentator said in English. Quinn was...not just hiding. For the first time, the young brunette actually watched him. He wasn't invisible, he just moved really, really, really, really fast. Even in the slow motion camera, he was just a blur of white red and blue, with a small hint of gold on top.

His opponent on the other hand had no qualms about speed, that man was... a monster. Or at least he looked like one and Mimosa had to keep reminding herself he was the same nice man who had extracted her from the fallen cage yesterday. But as various parts of his body turned into monstrous shapes and sizes, she found it hard to remember the gentle giant beneath more and more.

Not aware that a screen was also broadcasting her own reaction to the fight, the nine year old curled up in fright where she sat, her face almost hidden in her knees as she peeked cautiously at what was going on. At times, she felt like she was involved in the duel just as much as the to participants were, especially when her little bubble caught fire and when the heavy African hurled into it, sending the girl scrambling back into her shaken but otherwise protected enclosure.

There were too many explosions on stage, too many to count and it terrified her. What if Quinn was caught up in one of them? It took her many more explosions to realize that the little wizard was in fact responsible for the explosions, not dodging them. The idea was as terrifying as it was exhilarating. How could he do that? Just make things explode!

This duel was not a short one. Nearly twenty minutes in and both fighters had not lost their luster. Thirty minutes in and the stadium was shaking but Quinn and Mo-Pho were steady as ever. It was only at around the forty five minute mark that Mimosa noticed a close up of Quinn and gasped. He had cuts all over him. Maybe they should stop the duel and tell someone. He was probably moving too fast for anyone else to notice but the tiny wizard was bleeding in many places while the large wizard had not a scratch.

Mimosa couldn't exactly say what happened next. The slow vision camera showed Mo-Pho running at Quinn and Quinn disappearing just before taking a hit that might have been fetal. After that, steam obscured everything, making the girl raise her shining brown head a little higher. Was it all over?

A feeling of deep sadness washed over the child as the steam cleared, slowly revealing the giant's large outline standing up. Quinn was nowhere in sight but it didn't take a genius to figure out who had won. Oh well, they'd done good. They'd at least get third place which was... awful but she couldn't tell Quinn that.

Just as she was about to get up, a large crack sounded through the auditorium, a crash that foretold the breaking of a mountain, and a mountain did break. Mo-Pho's rock like structure split down the middle, his right side crumbling to reveal his human arm bleeding profusely. Another dark stain on his midsection revealed a puncture above his waist.

As the African wizard crumpled to the ground, a shadow emerged form behind him, a shadow sporting the US colors.

Against all odds, Quinn had won.

Forgetting all about her headache and her shield, the child screamed out loud, rushing out of her bubble to fling herself at the sweaty, bloody, exhausted mess that was now among the top two contestants at this tournament.

As the mountain fell, and Quinn raised one arm in victory the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. It hadn’t been an easy win, but he’d take it, and if there was a fight of the night award they’d taken it home. This, to Quinn, was what dueling was all about. The placement of all passion on the line, with one winner......and with that thought in his mind he collapsed and passed out.

When he awoke he was in the med tent to find only around ten minutes had actually passed. “You son of a bitch.....”. He said as he eyed the mountain already sitting up. The stark white bandages at ends with his dark skin. “You look like a goddamn zebra!” Quinn would say laughing, which caused a pang and a reach to his ribs. His hand was promptly slapped away by a rather severe all be it plump woman who was moving her wand all over him.

“What your language.” she would say her eyebrows threatening to touch and a pucker of a face. He then realized Mimo was standing next to him.

“Hey kiddo, enjoy the show?” He would ask her with a small smile, and reached to ruffle her hair before noticing something on his hand was missing. The finger tips from his left middle and ring finger were missing. The wound was closed, and they looked weeks old from healing already, it distinctly missing. “The hell man?” He’d say redirecting his movements to point at Mpho, “why you gotta do this to me?” He’d say with a serious face only to burst out laughing. The two men laughed for some time at this, though they were both worse for ware. Mpho on his own part had to have four bones set, a half bottle of skelegrow to help fix his humerous, radial and ulna bones of his magically mutated arm, and his left ear regrown.

The announcer could be heard outside announcing that the next fight would occur in two hours to give all contestants time to rest and prepare. “How’s logan?” Quinn would ask the severe looking witch. Her face said it wasn’t good, but an accent behind announced he was at least alive. Though upon turning and seeing the flacidity in the man’s legs he questioned what any magical hospital could do.

Duelists were weird, Mimosa decided as Quinn finally woke up, only to start screaming at someone. The doctor lady beside him promptly quieted him. She was nice. When the child had run to hug Quinn, he had just about managed to return the gesture before collapsing. Luckily Mimosa had been a little bit away or she would have gone down too. The nice doctor lady seeing how worried the child was had allowed her into the tent to reassure her how all was fine.

What was more, she had also given Mimosa a syrup that got rid of her headache totally. The medicine had been yucky going down but the effects were amazing. The child was herself now as she waited and chatted with other people in the tent. In fact, she had been talking to Mo-Pho pleasantly until Quinn woke up with his barrage of expletives.

The two men didn't look at all mad at each other for their various injuries. In fact they both began laughing, making the nine year old feel like she'd missed out on some joke. She was sure Quinn would lose it when he saw the edges of his fingers (which the healer assured Mimosa would grow back to normal in forty eight hours) but he didn't, only laughing out loud at the impediment.

"It was scary," she interjected, answering the question of how she'd liked the show. "You were both fighting and there was so much noise and ... You moved super fast Quinn but Mr. Mo-Pho cracked the whole stage. They're fixing it now." the break time was supposed to be for duelists and models to recover but today it as also for the cleanup crew to basically re-do the entire arena that the semi final duel had made into such a mess.

"They're announcing outside that Mr. Mo-Pho will get third place for sure and that you and the pretty lady will be fighting for first prize. I haven't seen her but I think she's with her model." just as the child finished speaking, there was a soft announcement at the door to the enlarged tent before a man walked in with a cheery smile.

"Pizza," he declared, carrying two large boxes towards her. "For a Mimosa Harrington. Best from the craft services, bambini," he smiled fondly before depositing the boxes and making his exit. Turning to the other two duelists, the young witch merely grinned.

"I ordered lunch."

The three would continue to stay in the medical tent for the larger part of their break eating, chatting, joking and playing. After all, what better way to prep an American for the finals than by making him eat the most American food - Pizza.