Friends Like You

Kaede couldn’t make Yuki submit. This woman was too strong, too tough, and even if she was neither of those things, she’d probably sooner lose her arm than ever let someone like Kaede make her give up. It didn’t matter if there was an audience or not, either - they both would know she gave up, and that alone would be too much. She didn’t know too much about Yuki, but she could suss out that much.

So on face, this armbar wasn’t a good idea. Couldn’t win with it. But then again, if Yuki couldn’t use her arm that would make her lose options. Would make openings put up. Would make this whole thing just a bit easier.

Could Yuki beat her? Yes.

Couldn’t Yuki beat her with one arm? Maybe.

Those thoughts were at the forefront of her mind as she cranked the hold, pulling away on it with everything she had. Maybe she’d gotten a little lucky, but she was more than willing to seize such an opportunity. It worked, after all.

At least, it worked right up until the moment that it stopped working, the moment where Yuki curled against it with freakish strength and nullified the damn thing. An impressive feat all by itself, but not as impressive as what followed, as Kaede was lifted off the floor, hefted up, and-

”Graah!” She hit the floor, making more noise than she thought her smaller body was capable of, and for a moment, a single second, but when it passed, she reasserted her grip on the hold. If you could even call it a hold anymore. She’d lost the torque on that arm, and she knew that Yuki would happily keep pounding her into the canvas. Eventually, she’d break, then the bigger woman would be all over her.

She needed out of this. What was more, she needed to be out of this on her terms, not Yuki’s. Deciding to cut her loses as best she could, Kaede left go of the arm, but only so she could use the new slack to pull her leg in and shoot it out hard, kicking her opponent square in the face, aiming her heel right for the nose. Not enough to knock her out, but all she wanted was a little separation for now.

Didn’t like that one, did she? Even if Kaede had brushed up a bit on her training, it didn’t change the fact that she was still a lightweight. Good for the mobility, not so much for the defense. That was one weakness she wasn’t going to cover up any time soon, no matter how hard she fought these past few weeks. So while it was there, Yuki intended to exploit it for all she could.

The punk came up, then the punk came down. Hearing that cry escape her lips gave the muscular blonde more relief than finally getting free from that armbar. The least she could do was return the favor.

She’d drawn her arm back to knock Kaede one across the temple and that very quickly turned out to be her undoing. As if she hadn’t picked up on it already, the punkette was a bit quicker on the uptake this time around, adapting quickly to her slam and the slackening torque on the wolf’s arm. Seems Yuki was the one now who still had a few things to learn. The first of many lessons being the heel that slammed against the bridge of her nose.

She reeled back and wrenched her arm away, bringing her hand straight to her face. She stumbled back a couple steps, keeping one eye shut to dull the pain however she could while keeping one eye on Kaede in the corner of her vision. A dark red line ran down her nostril, touching the top of her lip. She brought the hand away from her face to wipe it away, taking a moment to confirm that it was, in fact, blood. Yup. Kaede just gave her a bloody nose.

All she had to say to that was a snicker before she looked back the punkette, still fresh and ready to go.

“Alright.” The corner of her mouth crooked, giving a faint smile. She brought her fists back up, getting her stance prim and proper for the storm to come. “No more training wheels.”

No matter where Kaede went, no matter how long she lived, how much money she made, how many experiences that came her way, she strongly doubted that she would ever do anything so satisfying as kicking Yuki in the face.

It wasn’t just the target in question that made the hit so satisfying, though that was, no doubt, a major part of it. Yes, she’d damaged Yuki before, but this was something with an undeniable effect. When they got back to the den, Manami would probably ask her where she got the broken nose from, and Yuki would probably tell her the truth. She wasn’t the lying type, not when the Wolf Mother was concerned.

But what really sent a tingle down her leg was the sensation of the blow. The feel of Yuki’s nose giving way under her feet, bone and sinews and cartilage and whatever else a nose was made out of. She’d been close to feeling that when she had that armbar, but…

That was how Manami felt. When they first met and Manami spent hours picking her apart, that was how she felt. A tiny taste of it, just a sliver. It was like tasting chocolate for the first time, thrilling and addictive.

That flash of realization was broken by Yuki’s words, dragging her back to reality. She returned with a smirk, of course, enjoying this more than the other times, but there was something else on her face, written across her eyes. Hunger. She’d broken one part of Yuki, now she had to go for two, and she only had one word to say about her opponent’s declaration.

”Good.” And she meant it, too.

Kaede moved in again, quick, but not as quick as she could’ve gone, taking more care now that Yuki’s defenses were up all the way. She had something to work with, now. She hadn’t managed to break her foe’s arm, but she had to still be feeling that armbar. If there was ever a time to take the fight to her, it was right now.

So Kaede moved in, closing in with a bold stride, and lashed out the second she was in range. A jab came out, just enough to tap her guard and divert attention, before she juked to the side and threw out a hard hook on the same side she’d worked Yuki’s arm, trying to see how well it could manage.

Cocky little shit.

Yeah, yeah. Yuki knew she was the last person in the world right now that had the right to be upset about anything. She came into this match expecting another soft sell, expecting Kadede to just roll over for her like their previous sessions. She was seeing the steady progression, of course. Be an idiot not to. Some slight improvement here and there with each go, but nothing that she’d consider significant by any means.

This, though? This was a goddamn leap if she ever saw one. Kaede wasn’t the girl she’d knocked out in a second a five weeks ago. She was getting unpredictable, unpredictable meant dangerous. The sliver of blood running down past her lips proved that much. All of that potential she was seeing was finally bubbling its way up.

But was it enough to make a difference? Time to find out.

Yuki brought her arms up, wincing as she went to clench her fists and got a bolt of pain through her left arm for her effort. The armbar fucked her. Kaede was a karate girl, right? She didn’t look like the type to sit and train in a dojo, but those skills clearly hadn’t dulled all that much while she was all on her lonesome. Yuki was just going to have to deal with it like she always did: punch through it.

Kaede was one step ahead of her in that regard, though, quickly pressing the little advantage she’d made for herself. The first jab was a tickle, one that tested her defenses before the punkete dipped and followed up with the real blow. Yuki made sure to pace with her, keeping the brat in her sights, but there was only so much she could do to brace for the punch. She winced noticeably, her arm going into a mini-spasm before she recovered with a growl.

She wasn’t getting away with that shit. Not a chance. Yuki stepped right in and threw her good, right arm in a straight right toward Kaede’s face. That was what it was on the surface at least, but it was really a bait, a hope to make her duck into the push kick she send her way right into her chest.

Kaede was starting to wonder if she’d just lost her mind. That was the only rational conclusion she could draw when she took a step back and assessed the situation. Here she was, in the ring with a bigger, stronger, fiercer woman who didn’t much enjoy her presence, who had knocked her out four times in a row, who was going to turn her into a living punching bag if it happened a fifth time. Any sane person in her shoes would be eying the exit. Hell, any sane person wouldn’t have wound up here in the first place.

So it only followed that Kaede had to be losing her mind. She was still here, looking on at her destroyer with wild, eager eyes. Her blood was racing, her heart was pounding harder than she could imagine. She was on the razor’s edge, and she couldn’t remember ever - ever - feeling this way before.

Kaede wanted this. Wanted more. And the path to getting it went right through Yuki.

At first, things weren’t looking so bad. Yes, Yuki was bigger, stronger, faster, pretty much Kaede’s superior in every way - but striking was always a thing that Kaede had been at least decent at, and if she was going to have any success in this fight, it would be in that area. Her jab didn’t get much, but that hook? That did something. The wince on Yuki’s face did not go unnoticed, nor did the jolt in her arm.

But it wasn’t going to go unpunished. Kaede saw Yuki returning fire and ducked, just in time to avoid what would’ve been a decapitating blow...only to find herself moving right into the path of a push kick.

”Shit-” Kaede’s curses were cut short as the bottom of Yuki’s foot made a temporary home into her chest, launching her back, and it would’ve been enough to send her clear out of the ring if not for the ropes. Instead, she wound up bouncing of them and flopping hard on her chest, coming down in a heap on the canvas.

Don’t stay down. Do not stay down. Whatever happens, whatever it takes, get up.

Knowing full well that Yuki wouldn’t let her up if she got on top of her, Kaede pushed her way up on all floors after a second of being on the canvas. It wasn’t a graceful effort, more of a mad, crazy, staggering stumble, but it was enough to get her moving forward. Aching, gasping, she turned her body into a missle and threw herself into Yuki’s legs, going for a hasty version of the chop block.

Just keep on her. Just keep on her. That little mantra drummed inside of Yuki’s head like the battle drum alongside her at the vanguard. Much as she disliked admitting it, that was going to be the best way for her to come out on top of this. Kaede wasn’t as shit as she was when they started this. The girl had potential, she noticed it some time ago, and in a way, it was fulfilling to see it finally begin to trickle out.

At the same time, though, getting knocked out wasn’t on Yuki’s agenda. That wasn’t why she became a wolf, it wasn’t what made her a warrior. She fought to destroy her enemies, to bury all challengers, nothing less. Losing wasn’t in her blood, even less to some punk half her size.

She was already walking away from this with one injury, she wasn’t going to tolerate another one. That made the cathartic feeling all the better when her push kick landed flush, sending the pinkette practically flying to the ropes and landing flat on her chest. There were two words screaming in Yuki’s head when she saw that: “penalty kick”. As the punkette started to rise, she’s already started on her stride, putting one foot in front as she moved into a sprint.

It was too bad that played into Kaede’s plan, assuming she had a plan to begin with. The karateka threw herself into what looked like a suicide dive, some crazy maneuver that she couldn’t tell what was meant to accomplish until her legs had already been taken out from under her. Yuki flopped forward, just able to brace herself with her arms before she hit the canvas hard. It wasn’t a graceful fall by means. All of her weight went into it as her lower half came down on top of her adversary. Yuki rolled off to Kaede’s side, groaning as she sat up and went to push herself to two feet.

A slow climb made all the harder by the shock and a dull arm, but one she had to do. Kaede was nothing if not a can full of surprises. She didn’t want to be near her when the next one went off.

Four weeks ago, three weeks ago, maybe even two, and the sight of Yuki coming with that look in her eye would’ve been enough to freeze Kaede in her tracks without a muscle worth moving. It was weird, now that she came to think of it - everyone in the Dire Pack was scary in their own way. Manami was a maniac goddess who could tear you to shreds and revel in it. Fumika was a mastermind who could break your body and make you want more. But Yuki…

Yuki was a machine. A cold, juggernaut of a woman. When she moved forward, you either got out of the way or she mowed you down. It was an easy thing to be in awe of, though Kaede would’ve vastly preferred it if she wasn’t on the business end. Since running wasn’t an option, the only way to approach the situation was by taking her on. Not a good idea...but workable. Kaede just had to be smart about it.

And it worked. She couldn’t believe it worked, even as her shoulder’s hit Yuki’s leg and she went tumbling, even as a golden opportunity smacked her in the face - but it worked. Down she went.

Surprise threatened to stop Kaede in her tracks, but she pushed it aside and rolled to her hands and knees after she was done with the momentum. For once, she didn’t think about doing what came next, she just did it.

Kaede pushed to her feet, ran around to Yuki’s side, leaped up with foot raised, and attempted to slam it down on the back of her opponent’s head, attempting to drill her face into the ground with a vicious - and oh-so satisfying - curbstomp.

Force equals mass times acceleration.

When you’ve been doing this as long as she had, fought as many shapes and sizes as she’d seen, that explanation actually helped to clear up a lot. Kaede wasn’t much of anything when you looked at her. Light, thin, questionably blind with the all the colors she was throwing on. But she was quick, had this fierce energy in everything she did, and it seemed like she was finally getting the hint to focus it a bit. It was crude and rough, but what wasn’t in any fight worth a damn? She was playing to her strengths, and it was turning the tide.

Though that wasn’t a big deal in the blonde’s mind. All Kaede could do was punch and pray. All Yuki had to do was be quicker. Quick enough, at least. That was why she didn’t waste time dawdling on the ground. If she was reading Kaede right this whole time, the little bitch would already be up and honing in on her right-

Out of her peripheral vision, she noticed something approaching her quick, leaping off the ground with its foot raised. Thank god subtlety wasn’t Kaede’s strong suit. Yuki knocked her head to the side to avoid the blow. It didn’t save her entirely, feeling the side of Kaede’s bare foot tap against the back of her head, the tape on her feet singeing the rim of her ear as it passed. It was better than taking the brunt of it though and letting Kaede’s foot clap against the canvas with Yuki’s face nowhere to be found in between. It meant that the second the punkette’s leg came down, the She-Wolf could swing her arm out wide and clip the girl’s leg out from under her with a swift, cutting blow to the back of the knee.

Whatever came next she was still working out, but seeing the punk fall would at least give her some much-needed catharsis.

She was going to win. Kaede was going to win.

How long had it been since she’d been on the cusp of winning a fight? Not since she became a wrestler, she was sure about that much. So many of her matches started bad and got worse from there, ended up with her back on the mat...if she was lucky. Losing had became a part of her life that she was just used to, like eating.

But now she could feel it again, the same feeling that she used to get when she was ruling the halls at her high school and she was putting her dumbass classmates down. There was the target. She was closing in, coming fast, and all she had to do was stomp her foot and win this. She wanted it. Wanted it more than anything she’d ever wanted.

Her leg came up.

She jumped for some extra height.

Down it came, and-

”Shit!”

Kaede cursed when her foot came down on the canvas, missing her goal by the narrowest of margin, hitting so hard that it sent vibrations through her body and left her teeth clattering. Before she could even think about raising it for a second try, she felt a clubbing blow to the back of her leg, and down she went. Flat on her back. With Yuki’s reach.

Panic took over for a second, instinct telling her exactly how bad this position was. Yuki was bigger, Yuki was stronger, and any advantage Kaede had would vanish so long as they were on the same level. She should’ve rolled away. Should’ve tried to get back to her feet. Should’ve done something, anything to buy time and stay afloat. Maybe she’d get away, maybe she wouldn’t, but it was the smart play.

Instead, she rolled to her knees and threw herself at Yuki, swinging away, quantity over quality, a mad attempt to overthrow her foe with sheer tenacity.

Kaede Komatsuzaki was a weakling and a coward.

Yuki had made her mind up about that weeks ago and it wasn’t going to change. No two ways about it. She didn’t care that she had the Wolf Mother’s approval. She didn’t care what she said, how hard she trained, or how much she fought for her place beside them. She’d seen this punk’s type before, been around her long enough to know she wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t going to change anything about the little spitfire that thought she had the balls to step into their domain, do whatever she wanted and get away with it.

So why the hell was she charging her? The fear in her eyes was palpable, just as fresh and alive as it was the day they’d met. She had to know she was in trouble, that there was no way in hell this was going to work.

But here she was, charging right at her with her fists swinging and her fangs bared. She didn’t understand any of it, not like she had time to think. The punkette slammed into her as soon as she was upright, putting Yuki right on her back. An offense was at the front of her mind, but it was impossible to ignore the fists swinging at her face. One got through, tagging her on the nose again, and that was all Yuki was going to allow before she got her guard up.

Not the best position to say the least. She couldn’t see well past the flurry. Kaede hadn’t seemed to slow down an inch. Her arms started to wear. Her knuckles turned white. A thin sheen of sweat highlighted the straining tension in her muscles. Her nose was bothering the shit out of her, a thin river of red running down the side of her face past her cheek.

...why was she smiling?

The corners of the She-Wolf’s mouths tugged and pulled at the corners, the rarest sight of pure white from between her lips gracing the surface. It was a flash, a blink at most that one could catch for an instant of a second past the blur of her arm as it shot forward and grabbed Kaede by the neck. She used that crushing grip to yank the karate girl forward for a snap headbutt between the eyes. But that wouldn’t be enough to satiate her blood. As Kaede reeled back from the blow, Yuki would plant her hands behind her and reel her legs back, curling her lower body before lashing out with a kangaroo kick square into Kaede’s chest.