Point Zero: Tournament: 4

Point Zero: Tournament: 4

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Commissioned by Ichypa

Wordcount: 2500

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Ask any bloke out there that I’d ever shared a drink with before, and they’ll tell you that I’m a womanizer and a bastard. Someone you shouldn’t introduce your sister or cousin to. Hell, some wouldn’t even consider inviting me to their birthday if their mother was around. In my youth, being called a playboy would be an understatement.

Men feared me, women wanted me, and rock stars envied me.

I thought that I’d never nab myself a wife, because I’d always find myself drawn to that life.

Yet, now, I found myself acting like an over-the-moon princess in Gwen’s arms and loving it.

“A bit p-possessive right now, aren’t you?” I tried to be suave. Get the good, old charisma working in my favor. But I could feel a blush ruining my cheeky green, especially as Gwen just nodded in affirmation. Be still my beating heart. Your girlfriend’s only acting very possessive in public. This should be off-putting. N-not enticing. You’re not a kept woman. “Worried about all the looks I’m getting?”

A small parade around the stadium was held for Gwen’s victory. After scratching the Intrepid, most of her opponent’s resigned, because they were sure they couldn’t hope to survive against her. Yeah, the person they’d been trying to reach the whole day had been holding back the entire time by just using her Infection. One portion of the Infection, too. I’d have buggered off after seeing the first ten sods get butchered, so I had to commend the ones who stayed until the scratch happened. They were loads more gutsy than I was.

But that was irrelevant.

We were being paraded around to the adoring public in a floating platform to victorious fanfare.

Loads of girls were looking Gwen’s way, but more than a few men were looking at mine. All the lasses looking my girlfriend’s way only had my personal pride rising more and more. I didn’t mind the stares of the men, either. They were normal for me, and most lads backed down and acted proper when they realized we were competing against one another.

But Gwen didn’t like that, put her arm around my waist, and tugged me close in front of a whole arena… and the whole world through all the cameras.

A part of me felt like a fool as my face felt like a heater, but most of me was giddy as hell.

I couldn’t stop smiling even though all Gwen did was have an arm around my waist.

Jeez.

I’m really head-over-heels for her, aren’t I?

…

As handsome as Gwen was when she was in control and perfectly capable, I couldn’t deny a simple fact.

Gwen is also incredibly cute when pleasantly surprised.

As she was now, because I managed to get something really special for her.

“They have four different kinds of real meat here. Pork, beef, chicken, and lamb. Real meat.” I’ve never seen her so excited before. That made me excited for another person. Which was a first, now that I thought about, as I sat across from her. I’d always thought that bibs were silly too, but Gwen putting on one offered by the restaurant atop her usual suit… made me grin from ear to ear. I felt like I was floating on a cloud just looking at her. “This is amazing.”

“It’s called a churrasco. A South American restaurant style and they had rather good luck during the initial invasion days. They’ve kept most of their land, the Hunter Killers didn’t cross their mountains, and they were swift to protect their herds from infection.” Not many countries were able to manage it, but a few did. America was the most eminent example, but they and Australia and Japan were first-world countries with top-of-the-line militaries and industry. Most countries didn’t have either. Argentina, however, had rich mineral fields and were willing to leverage them for foreign aid. America answered and the rest is history. “There’s a bit of a markup here, but over there the price is half as much, but this one has rather good reviews and sources meats from just about everywhere.”

“Only the best for our customers, madam.”

“Thank you, Ronaldo.”

Our waiter gave us a smile, got our drinks in order, and the train of meats began. Roasted hunks of meat, simply seasoned and sizzling, came by us one by one, and the seared outer edges were offered to us before they were returned to the roaring roasters. Every bite had a crunchy edge and the meat was always just above medium rare, as Gwen loved, and not a single cut of meat erred from that perfect standard.

Top sirloin, ribeye, filet mignon, and more cuts were on offer. Loads of them were amazing to me as well. Father spoke fondly of his childhood, when steaks were something people could enjoy weekly if they made it their hobby, and where even a few weeks of saving could let anyone chow down on a steak once a season. Nowadays, the food fabricators shaped protein, fat, and carbohydrates into simple staples that were tasty and nutrient rich, but certainly nowhere close to real animals.

Gwen’s highly-advanced food fabricator could manage it, but the ambiance, knowing every cut came from a real animal, and that we were indulging in the luxuries of the world that once was… it all came together to paint a wonderful scene.

Well, for myself, at least.

Gwen was drooling over her food, absolutely mesmerized with each hunk of meat, and even though I took her here and set it all up… I didn’t at all mind not being at the center of attention.

I didn’t know how it worked. I’d be right miffed if this happened to any of my other dates, but now… it felt like talking and thinking was a waste.

I wanted to record every moment and take pictures and share those pictures with everyone willing to give me the time of day.

By all means, I sounded so utterly lovestruck to myself that I wondered if I should look for help—

“Grace, look! You can hold this lamb piece like a drumstick!” Oh, my goodness. Is it even legal to be this cute while also being so incredibly cool every other time? I wanted to immortalize Gwen’s glittering gaze and excitement. The entire world needed to know how cute she was when she was excited. What do you mean having a bit of sauce on her face made her less cute? You’re an uncultured swine, if you think that way! “And, they’re cooking each side of the ribeye so every bite is crunchy and juicy! This place is amazing! Thank you!”

Oh.

Oh my goodness.

That was a full on, ear-to-ear, and absolutely sincere smile of joy and excitement. Just two rows of pearly whites displayed between two lips curled up so high that the eyes had to close. I never knew smiles could make eyes close, or that it could be cute, so I was unprepared as I received the whole might of the elegant, complete look at full force and barely survived. It felt like being awash in the radiance of the sun, utterly vaporized by simple, innocent joy, and feeling like an absolute winner for being its direct, acknowledged cause.

I could die happily at this very moment and not give a smidgen of regret.

No.

I would have regrets.

Mainly being unable to make Gwen smile as widely again.

…

Gwen left the restaurant full and happy, and the restaurant promptly closed four hours before its official closing time, but not after the owner of the place shook both our hands, guaranteed reservations, and sent us off with a whole bottle of wine and a big smile.

She was a rather lovely lady, but I had only eyes for my very full and happy Gwen as we took a little walk.

District 1 was at the very center of Point Zero, and it was obviously made to impress.

The very picture of a utopian city with pure white buildings closer to art pieces than structures, automated traffic systems, and entirely robotic laborers. In my years at Uni, I fussed over all its regality with my friends, about how much was being spent on keeping up appearances with the greater galaxy, when it could otherwise be used to help our own people.

Now, I was happy that there was a park for me and Gwen to walk through with lots of pretty flowers, perfectly trimmed hedges, and good lighting in the middle of the night.

Oh, how my rebellious teenage self would cry out if she saw me now… right before falling head-over-heels Gwen spoke to her.

And, now, I’m imagining how much my life would be better if I met her earlier.
Somehow, even with time travel an impossibility, I was losing to Gwen in the past, too.

“This was a great evening, Grace. Thank you.” It was pure and simple gratitude, but I felt like my heart was going to stop just hearing it. Not only that, but there was still that small smile on her face that made my heart accelerate just a bit more. “I really appreciated it. I never thought that I’d ever experience anything like it.”

Now, that put a damper on my good mood.

“Right, you told me. You lived in a refugee camp for most of your life.” It was unfortunate. The UN and all the other polities that continue to exist offer places in their countries, but some people didn’t accept. They wanted to keep their sovereignty, to remain in their homes, and only accepted help. Refugee cities were recipients of foreign aid, but none complained about their existence, because they kept the infected from massing up against the front lines. Some say that they were helping them keep their cultural identity, but in truth they were bait. “How was that?”

I was lucky, despite everything that I had to endure. Though I lost my parents, everything else in my life was simple. Food was something I could acquire with ease, as long as I wasn’t picky about it. Housing wasn’t an issue either. There were no reasons for me to go out and risk my life to hunt down Infected or Hunter Killers to get ration cards, or keep my sleeping space mine, every single day.

Gwen had to endure all of that, and the fact that I refused to go on any trips to help out refugee camps made me sick.

I wouldn’t have helped Gwen, but I would’ve helped people like her, who had to live like her, and I could look at her now and say that I wished I had helped her back then.

But I couldn’t say that.

I hadn’t even tried to help those people in the slightest.

I…

“Grace.” Firm fingers interlaced around mine and gave them a tight squeeze, breaking me out of my reverie, and I blinked as a blush formed on my face. “You’re over thinking things.”

“Ah, r-right. I must’ve.” I spluttered out the words and tried to recall what Gwen had been telling me, before I lost myself to self-loathing. My blush deepened and I didn’t know what the hell I should say, until Gwen sighed. I had to admit it. “Sorry. I was thinking that I should’ve helped more people when I could. Maybe, if I had, I could’ve somehow have met you and helped you then.”

I thought that Gwen would chuckle or smile at my words, instead she tilted her head from side to side in a way that made my hand twitch for my communicator.

It should be illegal to be this cute.

“I spent most of my early life fighting and getting strong. There were many people who helped me, and did their best to even try to get me to move. But, I didn’t, because I wanted to be strong, to come here, and to find a job that would give me what I want. Food, a home, and more time for myself.”

“And, because you fought all your life and worked hard, you became the Verdict Commander.”

“Yes. The life that I led is the foundation of the life I now have. I can learn what I need to learn, spend time sleeping and resting, and work towards anything that I could want.”  I hadn’t thought about it that way. If Gwen hadn’t chosen her current path, if she hadn’t declined to be housed elsewhere, then we wouldn’t be here now. “It was difficult. I had to train very hard. Some days I didn’t eat, but now those days are behind me, and I’m strong enough to protect everything I care about. I wouldn’t want anything to change.”

I could understand what she was saying, and I liked the fact that she was happy with all the things that she did that led to what she had now.

It would still be better though, if she hadn’t had to.

But, in the end, the people that caused Earth’s current state is long gone and their descendants have done their utmost to help us.

In a way, all I was doing was screeching at the state of things and wishing it was better.

Meanwhile, Gwen took everything the world threw at her, climbed all the way to the top, and now here she was… one of the strongest people on the planet.

I sighed and leaned against her just a little bit.

“Then, if that’s how you think, I’ll do my best to be glad, too.” Despite everything that’s gone wrong, despite all the dangers in the world, I still met her and she met me. Even though I wished that she never had to suffer, never had to kill, and never had to worry about her next meal, the fact remained that was how the world was. If I wanted that to change, then I’ll have to change the world itself. Well, I suppose that it’s a good thing that I’m part of Verdict, then. “So, what’s next, Commander?”

Gwen stood up a little straighter at my words and gave me a little nod.

“There’s still gangs to uproot and destroy, but my request for reinforcements has been approved. Soon, we’ll be receiving more support. Both in the form of more agents and more patrol squadrons.” I leaned against her while she talked shop. It let me cool down a bit and just focus on our time together. “Once your mandatory period of service is over, I’ll be making you my vice-captain. All others coming are combat focused. You’ll be our diplomatic liaison.”

“You can rely on me, Gwen.”

“I know.

Just two words, but upon hearing them, I felt content.