The match between Menardi and Legault was a lopsided one. Not in the arena, as you might suspect, but rather in the stands. The entire cast of every Fire Emblem as well as most of the DL's thieves, scoundrels and noble rogues had shown up and were cheering on Legault, all wanting to see one of their own number knock off a former Godlike Champion here in Middle. The noise was deafening, not to mention demoralizing for the Mars Adept.
Her own side of the stands were empty of course. Well, except for five people down in the front row, shouting themselves hoarse to try and cheer her on. Saturos, who she expected, along with Justin, Worker 8, Jet and Opera. This mystified her. The last time she met with those four, she lost her temper and tried to kill them. But it seems that loss records are thicker then water as her fellow Double Downgraders were here even after that, and doing their best to support her.
For a brief moment she was distracted, wondering why, why they would do this? And against someone of Legault's speed, a single second of distraction can be fatal.
Seeing her lapse of focus, the Hurricane moved in, his Killing Edge speeding in like some manner of bladed bullet, lodging into her gut. Thinking this was his best chance to end it, Legault braced himself and twisted the blade with all his might. The pain alone from that blow would drop any normal man, not to mention the blood loss and other wound she had taken throughout the fight. He let a smirk cross his features as he felt her beginning to fall. This was over.
Well, it would have been were Menardi anything resembling normal. The pain bringing her attention back to the fight, the mars adept sank down to one knee as her right arm snapped up and clenched around the assassin's neck. Forcing herself to turn, which only twisted the blade further in her gut, she slammed Legault down onto the ground next to her and with strength born of desperation, pain and anger she crushed his throat just before the pain overtook her and she slipped into unconciousness.
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Regaining her consciousness the DL infirmary, Menardi's first thought was that she had the mother of all headaches, but her second was Which One Of Them Died First? She was in so much pain by the end of that match that she just didn't have enough left to ensure that Legault was well and truly dead before passing out herself.
But before she could even get her mouth open to ask the nurse, a familiar voice said, "Don't worry, you got him."
Opening her eyes, Menardi was faced with who were quite possibly the last people she wanted to be confronted with, the Double Downgrade Club. Looking away from Opera, the mars adept said nothing. How could she face them, after how she reacted and their continued support regardless?
Whirring and clicking. Worker 8 added his own notes, "Affirmative. Hurricane Legault's life functions entered a state classifiable as clinically dead approximately 2.43..."
"Spare us the numbers, Worker. Please." Grinning at Menardi, Opera gave her a thumbs up, "Hey, one more win and you get a shot at the pool. Worker and Justin both got out of Middle, I'm sure you can make it too."
"Speaking of Justin, he and Saturos are out playing guard dogs in the hallway and I'd rather not leave those two alone together longer then we have to." Jet shook his head and shruged, "It's just a mater of time before he says something dumb and offends Saturos and we have another fight to worry about."
Opera laughed, "Good point. Think you're recovered enough to walk out of here yet?"
They weren't angry, they weren't scolding her or mocking her, they were treating her like one of them despite her rejection. Nodding, Menardi slowly pulled herself out of the infirmary bed and got to her feet, "Um, thanks. And...I..."
Opera just shook her head, "Hey, don't worry about it. Let's get out of here and see about scoping out this Ulf guy. I hear he's no joke, so we'll want all the intel we can get."
