Maturinus: School Days

Workshop

"So, you know when we were planning this out and I asked what the worst that could happen was? In my defence, that shit was- "

"Sabrina. Shut. Up."

As it turned out, the worse that could happen was a case of bruised pride. The tag team fight had gone more or less perfectly, even if Cherri hadn't stopped complaining about the extra exercise and practise to ensure they didn't end up flailing around like a pack of idiots. Her current fume was over the "more or less", as what was supposed to be a cool dodge out the way of one of Katie's stretching punches had turned into the extending limb accidently knocking Cherri's legs out from under her after Katie had slipped. Which might have been salvageable, had Katie not immediately panicked and brought her arm back, the rapid withdrawal motion pulling Cherri across the stadium and into a wall, much to the amusement of the crowd. The plan had only been saved by Angela, who was radiating smugness as she rewatched the attack that had taken out Grace in the confusion and the sleeper hold that had faked Katie's departure from the fight. Sabrina had to give it to her. She was tiny and carrying her own weight in feathers on her back, but she could pack a punch when she needed to. She was so pleased with herself that she'd dropped her enforced stoicism, rocking a little on her seat as she basked in the light of the waiting cubicle tablet. Cherri was still steaming from embarrassment, and Grace was staying out of it and trying to smother her giggles, which made her smarter than her by far, because she could never resist poking the bear. But it was for the greater good in this case, as she needed to do something to get Katie out of the foetal position she'd tucked herself into on the edge of the seating.

"I gotta say though, it looks like some of my training is paying off, because we sure do have a little Coliseum protégé on our hands. You took out Grace in the Assault Course and now you're cleaning up in Arena fights. We'll get you going through real brawls in no time!"

Her attempt to defrost the room went poorly as Katie whimpered and retreated further into the ball she's made of herself, and Cherri was suddenly trying her best to kill her with evil intent alone.

"Get out and go let Gemma kick your arse, will you?"

"Fine, fine, stay salty. I'll see you in ten."

Her escort had arrived just in time, a pair of soldiers to show her to her fight. The trip through the stadium bowels went by in silence, leaving her time to reflect on what was to come. Not that she was worried about any of it. Gemma could bring in as many friends as she wanted and set the stage however she could, and all her designs would make it so much sweeter when she tore it all down. The final check-up came and went in a flash and she was left to nod away pretending that she didn't know the rules. Once the round started she could do anything necessary to win, so long as she didn't damage cameras or hurt the audience. And if for some reason she refused to fight, she knew that she'd be taking a couple of tranquiliser rounds in the back and waking up in detention with a point deduction. She left the soldiers behind her and stepped out to the demands of the crowd. 

The Arena shared the same size as the Performance Arts section of the Coliseum, but was the only area to be divided in any way, a sheer black wall currently splitting the battleground into halves to double the content displayed with the audience free to choose the match they wanted to see beforehand. And unlike the Assault Course they were at ground level here, barring any stage that might drive them higher. Watching the tarmac open up quickly unravelled any idea that they'd be taking to the skies, as a shimmering pool of clear water rose up to replace it, dotted with stones and platforms spread across the length in uneven patterns and sizes, the only solid ground to do battle on, and that could change in an instant if the water got worked up. From the way Gemma and Arc were smirking on the monitors at their end, it seemed that they thought their plan pretty foolproof. Whatever Gemma's power was; she could use it to eat away at stone. Arc would be hanging back to electrify the water with those whips while Gemma removed the stepping stones and platforms. And on a stage where precision, not speed would be required, any misstep on her part would get her a little more than a sore jaw and some injured pride. She took her place on her starting platform, the announcer rallying up the crowd as he led into their introductions.