Final Rage

Three people. Three reactions.

Key was the one who had to deal with the damage, and for all her tastes, for as little as pain affected her, there was no avoiding this kind of agony. There was really no quantifying this sort of pain, no way she could put it on some scale and measure it against anything else in her life. She had been in all kinds of fights, on and off the street, and her body carried years of damage throughout. It wasn’t the first time she’d had something snap about in her body during a match, but this was different. It was like there was a fire burning beneath her skin, this seering, burning hell where the ligaments parted ways. There was no holding back her screams, though she did try. They came out all the same, as a loud, piercing wail that filled the rafters.

Lock heard it. She couldn’t not hear it. She was just making her way up onto the apron when the cry came out, an oddly familiar nose. It was rare to hear that sound from her partner for most people, but for her, it was a common one as they grew up, something from their quieter moments. It brought her to tender memories, and while she couldn’t see directly that way with the ring in her way, she could look at the titantron and get a full view of Key’s anguish. Her first temptation was to go to Key, and she even started in that direction, before Jack’s on her shoulder made her pause.

”Wait.” He gave her a comforting squeeze. ”Just wait.”

He could see everything she saw, heard the pop, but he maintained his cool about it. Knowing Key, the last thing she wanted was for LOck to rush in and save her. Judging by all the rage filled screams he could hear, that would only make her madder. No, if she wanted help, when she wanted help, she’d come over and tag her proper. No sense in mixing up until then. Besides, Blaze was proving to be more brutal than he’d expected, and he was all for seeing where she would go with that next.

”You fuck!” Key spat towards the brunette as she caressed her useless arm with the one good one she had left. ”Fucking...cunt. Fuck!” She rammed her forehead against the floor a few times, fighting pain with pain, before she planted one foot on the ground, pushing her wobbly way up. ”This shit matters? Really think you’re gonna win with this shit, huh?”

While Blaze would never turn down a chance to knock heads, she was rarely one to go overboard. Hurting people was easy, really easy, especially untrained people outside the arena with no real combat experience. While violence for the sake of violence didn't give her any sense of joy, Key had it coming. The brunette was fine to leave it at that and let the woman limp off to tag in the next challenger, but it seemed as though the redhead had no sense of her predicament along with her lack of filter. Was she really going to make Blaze beat her bloody? She couldn't help but find the question ironic coming from the woman who refused to back down under the circumstances.

"Right now it does, and yeah, I intended on it." Blaze stared down at Key, tugging at the cuffs of her gloves to pull them tight. She had given the other woman room to rise and retreat, but if she was so intent on jabbering on instead of cashing in on this moment of mercy. Her blue eyes followed the slow and shaky rise from her opponent, waiting until she had collected herself just enough to at least be half way vertical. She stepped in with two long strides, coming to an abrupt stop just before Key, arms out to the side to keep her steady. Her hair whipped back as her body followed, cartwheeling away from the redhead, sending one of her signature buzzsaw kicks directly up at the woman's chin from below to make her thing twice about being so chatty when she was getting her ass handed to her.

The momentum would carry her up and away, somersaulting further back than she started on her the balls of her feet in a show of grace that seemed otherworldly given how rough and tumble she had presented herself. Without hesitation she charged right back in towards Key. If the woman had been knocked flat, the brunette would circle around her and lunge down to try and dive down at her to drill her with a knee in the side. Had she somehow remained vertical, that knee would be aimed at her head instead, looking to pile on her offense. If Key wouldn't drag herself to her corner, Blaze would have to do it with whatever was left.

Lock thought herself a patient woman, and she generally was when it came to her partner. Key could be a disagreeable woman at the best of times, stubborn and obstinate, sully and prickly, but there was a warm underbelly she didn’t often show. That same stubbornness could translate to loyalty, her abrasive demeanor made her fierce and determined. She cherished the quiet moments together, where they just laid down and talked about things. About Jack, about wrestling, about their place in the world.

The two of them needed each other. They fit. But, God, would she be lying if she said the woman didn’t piss her off sometimes. ”Ophelia! Get over here and make the tag!

Key could hear her calling nearby, a faint and distant noise, but she couldn't quite process it. The pain was bringing a red fog over everything, a haze of rage. Fuck losing the arm, it didn’t matter. She was going to raise up, get to her feet, and-

Whatever germ of a plan was forming in her head, it was blown away the moment Blaze’s foot connected with her jaw. Strong as she was, that was more than she could take, and the effect was immediate - Key stumbled back, two wobbly steps, before she collapsed again, the cumulative effect catching up on her. Glassy eyed, she laid there long enough for Blaze to come over and start planting knees in her side, leaving her gasping and wheezing.

”Now! Now!”

Key groaned - both from the pain she was receiving and Lock’s words - and began to make a crawl towards their corner, scrapping her nails along the canvas as she moved.

Blaze lingered on one knee for a moment, a boot planted firmly on the ground and propped up by a palm on her thigh. In a normal match, this would have basically been over. She had turned a lucky counter into one hell of a swing in her favor, turning the fiery redheaded berserker into… whatever this was crawling away from her. From her temperament to her mannerisms the woman had all the makings of some rabid animal that needed to be put down… maybe Blaze had better get herself checked for rabies after this. A soft snicker slipped from her as she pushed herself up. The brief respite had been enough for adrenaline to simmer and the pain wracking her head and back to start trickling back in.

Roll of the neck, a shake of her arms, and a small hop from foot to foot to keep the blood moving. If she tested for too long and let the soreness take root she was going to have a bad time of things. Key hadn't made it far by the time Blaze walked up behind her, reaching down to grab the woman by the collar of her jacket and waist of her pants. With a strained grunt, the brunette tried to yank the woman up a bit, enough to throw her up at an angle to send her back into the ring below the ropes. She had a point to prove still and couldn't wait for the redhead to hobble her way back to her corner.

Rather than climbing in after, she took the scenic route along the outside and made her way up the steel steps to reach the apron. Slipping between the ropes, she continued back to wherever Key had managed to get to before grabbing down at her collar again, intent on dragging the woman over to where Lock and Jack resided, giving her captor a a shove to present her at their feet before backing away. Even knowing full well the blond woman was surely next, she pointed towards Jack, beckoning him to enter the ring. He was after all the prize here, that smug face she wanted to bust open on live TV. His sharply dressed bodyguards were just obstacles.

”Hey! Let me in! 私にさせて!”

”I speak English just fine, and the answer is still ‘no’.”

Roxanne ‘Rocky’ Rhodes stood in the backstage area, tantalizing close to the entrance curtain and the ramp. It wouldn’t have been too far if she wanted to get in there and help Blaze out, and she’d come back here for the express purpose of doing just that. She wasn’t a wrestler, but since her best friend and band member had decided taking on three goons at once - one of whom was a tank in a suit - it seemed like a good idea. She knew there wasn’t any talking Blaze out of a fight, but bare minimum, she could watch her back, make sure they didn’t try anything sneaky. Well, sneakier.

But there was only one little problem: Security. They were in force down at the gorilla position, at least four of them were hanging about in the area, Rocky was currently engaged with a less-than-pleasant one of them named Rin Matsuda. A hulk of a woman who kept looking at her like she was a fly who’d just landed in her soup.

Rocky pointed at her chest, where the pass dangled. It was an irritating thing, but Blaze had gotten it for her when they signed up, something to keep her from getting harassed in the back. Wasn’t working. ”See this? You see this, right?”

”Yes, I see it.” Rin folded her arms, unmoving otherwise. ”That is a backstage pass. It clears you to move around backstage. I’m not getting in shit with my boss just because your friend decided to play hero.”

Rocky huffed, blowing a few spare dreadlocks out of her face. ”So I have to sit back and watch while my friend gets ganged up. Pretty much what you’re saying, right?”

Rin thought for a moment, then nodded. ”More or less, yeah.” She shrugged. ”Only wrestlers and managers get in the match. That’s it.”

Rocky threw up her hands, frustrated, and growled as she spun on her heels to watch the live feed being displayed nearby. Things had taken a turn for the better with Blaze getting the better of the bitch in red, but she’d still have to keep her isolated from the others. If she was smart, though, she could pin her, win the match, and get out before…

...wait. Was she helping her opponent get to the corner? ”You’ve got to be shitting me.”

Unfortunately, no, Blaze was not shitting her. She did grab Key by the collar and help her the rest of the way, dragging her over to the corner and giving her the chance to make the tag. The entire affair made her opponent look like she was about to throw up, but she gave into her pride enough to reach up. From his position, Jack just smiled and leaned on the ropes, staring at Blaze with the smile she’d come to love so much. He started to bring his hand out, going for the tag, close now...

Lock took the opportunity instead and slapped her partner’s hand, slipping through the ropes. Jack just threw up his hands, a silent ‘oh well, before moved to help Key over. Not only was he happy to stay out for now, but he knew his partners well enough to not stand in their way.

Lock backed away and maintained a comfortable distance between them. Her poise was calmer, her steps more refined, a stark contrast from her barbaric partner, but there was a fierce look on her face, too. Anger was there, but she kept it underneath the surface. For now. Biding her time, wanting to see what Blaze’s first move would be.

There was an unabashed hatred in her eyes as she gestures towards Jack, her stare carried with it something more, a hunger that made her those baby blues shine. She had wanted to put her fist through that smug face of his the moment they had laid eyes on one another but the wait and work to get there was making her need it more and more. When he leaned forward, reaching out towards Key she had already bought into the idea whether he ever planned to step into the ring with her or not. Her hands back up and she gave her head an abrupt jerk to the side to whip her hair back over her shoulder, ready to throw hands.

"Tch." The disappointment was immediate when the blond cut the tension like a knife with her tag, giving Jack a foul sneer as he played it all of so casually. With a small shake of her head she began to move, impatiently pacing her side of the ring as Lock slipped inside to step up to the plate. It was easy to tell the blond woman wasn't pleased, understandable so. Blaze had gone out of her way to rail the woman with a cheap shot when she had been helpless on the apron and had just manhandled her partner in crime, in what many would consider to be overkill. While Blaze and Key and started things off vicious, it had been the brunette who had potentially crossed a line that really set the tone. Not that she had expected mercy or wanted it, but it was even less unlikely now any would be given her way now.

"Doesn't have to be like this, I just want him." A half truth really, battering Key was always on the table from the outset. Her animosity towards Lock was significantly less however. While the blond had taunted, her part in the assault had been minimal. Key had done the heating a d Jack was the obvious ringleader… so even though Lock was obviously involved she wasn't really on Blaze's radar when it came to handing out ass whoopings. "Get her to the back with the medics and leave us to settle business. Don't have beef with you."

As Blaze spoke, Lock cast a quick glance to Key, watching as Jack tended to her arm. Taking her to the infirmary was the best idea, she wasn’t wrong about that, but she didn’t know her partner, either. Ophelia hated doctors with more zeal than she hated most other things, and taking her back there would be an exercise in futility. No, she would want to do it the hard way, the same way she did everything else, much to Lock’s chagrin.

In the meantime, though, it all fell on her to deal with the current problem. Blaze was proving remarkable hardy, stronger than she couldn’t guessed from the outset of this distraction. But, perhaps, that was the reason she’d fared so well against Key, with the both of them haven’t such a blunt style. A certain finesse, style, timing could all go a long way against that type of approach.

”If you’ve beef with Jack, you’ve beef with me. That’s the job, I’m afraid.” Lock began to move closer, still keeping her distance, but nearing firing range. ”Besides,” She dropped her gaze and leaned forward, bringing her body into striking stance. ”You owe her for that arm. I’m collecting.”

That was all she said before she moved in, almost before the last word reached her lips. She closed in, drew back, and brought her right leg up, only to draw it back half way in a feit before contact and raise the other one instead, aiming at Blaze’s right shoulder with a high roundhouse kick.

Was it admirable to stick to one's principles? Ordinarily, yes. When you added the context of money and insufferable pricks like smug Jack camping in the corner of the ring it became less commendable. Blaze's anxious pacing became more focused, half circling Lock as they exchanged words. "You look like a smart lady…" it was really the crisply pressed suit and those steely eyes that sold it. The blond had those whole librarian after a sexy makeover look going for her that, despite any disgust at her choice of employer did little to make her look less attractive.

"Why this guy huh? You and lady Adderall over there could do fine here without him I bet." It was hard to take gambling advice from the lady who had considered the odds on this match favorable when put against nothing but pride, but she was making an effort to appeal. Kickass ladies deserved to look out for one another and all that. It was like talking to a brick wall though as the woman across from her was painfully professional and clearly unwilling to budge on this topic. Oh well. With a shake of her head Blaze brought her hands up, clenching her fists at the ready.

Blue eye watched Lock close, only now realizing just how close she had sauntered. There was a snakelike quality to this woman, slithering close, waiting to strike. Maybe it was how tense and sore her body was or the weight of this match bearing down, but she couldn't help but feel slightly anxious at the call before the right. She hadn't felt this way with Key, everything had been so upfront and open. Not so with the blond, she just carried with her an aura of danger. The moment the brunette got a sniff of danger, she reacted, meeting speed for speed as she stepped to the side and leaned back, looking to put herself out of range of the feigned kick waiting to punishing with a lunge of her own.

When Lock pivoted into her actual kick, Blaze was in the worst possible position to respond, extended back in the wrong direction, eyes shot wide with last minute understanding. In a last moment defensive move the brunette tucked her chin, trying to protect her head with a good chart response to a roundhouse whipping at her. The stiff blow clipped her hard along the back and shoulder, the angle she had left herself at after dodging a feign had been notably terrible. The kick sent her stumbling forward with a swear, arms waving in case of a fall, and boots shuffling to keep her lower half moving at the same speed as the upper one.

Out of the trio, Lock was most often the one doing the strategizing, coming up with the gameplay going into their matches. Jack had the mind for that sort of thing when he wanted, but, to paraphrase him, that was the sort of thing he paid her for, so he left the heavy mental lifting to her and while he focused on the details. Key rarely had the mind to think five seconds ahead, let alone come up with anything comprehensive, so she was stuck handling the details.

That was fine, she preferred it that way, often enjoying her analytical work. She strove to make sure they were prepared for whatever came their way, a strong believer in winning the fight before it had even begun. That was the irritating thing, here - she knew little about Blaze, and was formulating her opinion based on what she’d seen so for. Not ideal, but it would have to serve.

The woman was tough, no question there, and she had experience. Kickboxing, perhaps? She wasn’t quite street brawler, but she wasn’t the most refined, either, like she was dipping toes in both worlds. Her kicks were impressive - that somersault kick she finished Key off with had been a marvel - but her fists weren’t shoddy, either.

She was fast, but Lock wagered she was faster, and that bet turned out to be a decent one. Her rapid switch was enough to catch the brunette off guard, connecting clean, even doing better than she’d hoped. It was enough to make her stagger forward, leaving her off balance for a second.

More than enough time.

Lock brought the same foot that had struck Blaze’s shoulder away, not even letting it come to the ground before she spun about into her next move. Twisting around, she dropped low and swung out, bringing her heel around in a wide arc, looking to trip Blaze up at the ankles to turn her stumble into a full-fledged fall.

Blaze understood she was in a bad place already, so when Lock's leg skimmed the mat and caught her heels, what came next wasn't a surprise. That didn't make it suck any less though as her boots popped off the canvas, legs flying out from under her as she went falling to the mat with a solid thud when she hit the canvas squarely on her back. It was a change of pace from dealing with Key whose prime defective was pain and power, this one seemed more about setting traps and keeping control from a glance. Trying to fumble to her feet was going to be a quick way to get hit with some pot shot kicks, so instead the singer made the choice to stay on the mat and let her MMA experience work for her.

She pushed a palm against the mat, turning herself so her legs faced Lock, both tucking in towards her chest leaning her curled up defensively. If the other woman wanted to close in for anything meaningful, she would risk reprisal. Nothing about the blond screamed ground and pound, but Blaze at the sneaking suspicion this woman would be more than at home by clamping on a hold and twisting her into knots, so she kept her limbs in close with a protective shell of a defense. While she was more vulnerable to getting kicked on the ground, she was more prepared to block like this than if she was retreating or rising.

"Was never big on taxes so… I'll pass." If nothing meaningful came her way, she would start scooting back if possible, only when she was out of the immediate range of Lock's legs would she even attempt to rise, otherwise she played it safe on the mat and looked for an opening to exploit or something to grab it a strike came her way.