ax_main | Diva & Grog, backdated to 11/29/18

During the third day of Yorkland, Diva and an unknown challenger named Phillip battle it out in the fighting pit.

Splattered with blood and grinning, Diva raised an arm over her head, her fingers in the v-for-victory sign she was known for. Cheers rose up, backed by the sounds of clapping and pounding feet. The sound was thunderous, and it matched the drumming of blood and adrenaline that was rushing through Diva’s veins. Behind her, clerics gathered up her fallen opponent and dragged her away, casting healings spells on her as they went. No one was paying attention to Bridgette Ironclad though, all eyes were on Diva.

“Anyone else?” the barker called, as he handed off money to the waiting hands of winners. “Does any brave soul dare to challenge Diva?!”

It was a bit hard not to notice Grog, considering he towered over most of the crowd even before he pushed his way to the front. "I challenge," he called, then jumped down into the pit before there was any kind of response, already grinning at the girl inside.

Diva grinned at the unfamiliar fighter. Alright, new challenger! She liked it when they were big; it was way more fun when they hit the ground.

A cheer went up from the crowd and bets were already been shoved into the barker’s hand as he shouted, “We’ve got a tough-looking one, lads and ladies! Place your bets for Diva versus—“ He paused and looked to Grog.

Grog stared out over the cheering crowd. Scanlan had told him about this, that he might need some kind of other name. Something impressive.

So slowly, he raised his hands over his head and declared, loud and firm, “Phillip!"

The barker looked confused, but he shouted with gusto when he said, “Versus Phillip!” The crowd cheered wildly, either not caring or too worked up already to notice the odd name.

With a grin, Diva extended a hand to her opponent. “May the best woman win.”

"Yeah -- I'm not a lady, though?" Grog gave her a look of genuine confusion, but reached out to take the hand anyway. That was just polite. "So when do we start?”

“We take our sides, and they’ll smash that big gong over there,” Diva explained, pointing over at it, and brightly finished with, “Then we beat the crap out of each other.”

"Good," Grog said, sounding genuinely pleased. He absently cracked his knuckles, less for the sake of looking intimidating than because it was the thing to do before fights. Scanlan said so. “Ready."

Diva took a step back to take her position and cracked her neck because she knew the important of putting on a good show. A beat later, the gong rang out, the sound carrying surprisingly well over the loud, gathered crowd.

Letting out a joyful battlecry, Diva rushed at Phillip.

Grog grinned as she came at him, a wide, wild expression, and stepped up to meet her, pulling his fist back. Once she was in range he punched towards her, not even really bothering to aim, just using his own hand as a battering ram.

At the last second, Diva saw the fist and managed to duck under it. She threw a punch, trying to connect a hard uppercut under his ribs.

He grunted as he fist connected, but it barely shifted him. Instead, Grog just brought a knee up, driving it towards her body.

The blow forced the air out of Diva’s lungs. She grabbed hold of the knee and twisted hard, then brought up her feet to kick off Phillip and launch herself away from him.

That move caught him off guard, and Grog swiped out at her with one huge hand a second too late before she was out of range. "Hey. Where you going?”

“Playing hard to get,” Diva teased with a wink. “C’mon, big guy, show me what you got!”

Well, Grog could understand that invitation. He launched himself forward, faster than his size might have made someone expect, and just plowed straight for her without anything like finesse.

Phillip slammed into Diva, and, grinning wildly, she met the blow as if trying to stop him. She was pushed back, her feet digging trenches into the dirt, then lifted off the ground, laughing the entire time. This was fun!

As Phillip rocketed across the pit, carrying Diva with him, she raised her clasped hands high and brought them down hard on his head.

He let out a grunt at the blow but let momentum just keep moving him forward, even as Grog shook his head to clear it. By the time he focused again, he'd driven Diva right up against the wall clear across the arena, almost trying to press her through the stone.

The air left Diva’s lungs in a rush and she was pretty sure she felt a rib crack. She swore in her native language, then let out a bellowing yell and threw rapid punches into the side of Phillip’s face. Dirt gave under her back as he pressed her harder into the wall, she felt her opportunity and she slammed her arms down on his wrists and wriggled free.

Diva dropped to the ground and tumbled between Phillip’s legs, hopping to her feet and turning to face him. “Come on!” she shouted in a challenge.

Grog grinned and leapt back into the fight with obvious enthusiasm. It got messy after that, the two of them trading blows and the occasional taunting from Diva. Grog, for his part, kept mostly to grunts and the occasional bellow, but it was clear he was enjoying himself. And that he had more than enough stamina to spare.

By the time he was even breathing heavy, Diva looked like she was swaying on her feet. Grog paused, giving her a confused look. “Done?"

Diva was bloodied and breathless, but still grinning. Now, that had been a fight. She’d done a number on Grog, but he didn’t even looked winded. She totally needed to figure out what his secret was, because the guy was badass. “Why? Ready to give-up?” she joked.

He made a sound that wasn't quite an amused snort and was already running at her again. This time Grog went for a full-on tackle, trying to bring her down and keep her there. Honestly he wasn't completely sure what the rules for the fight were, but that seemed like a decent choice.

The blow took Diva off her feet. She tried to tumble with it, to flip them over so it was Phillip who ended up with his back on the ground, but her strength failed her. She’d seen it coming—She’d known she was down for the count when she’d taunted him; she just hadn’t wanted to give-up.

They hit the ground hard, and the wind left Diva’s lungs in a rush. She grinned at Phillip, her mouth full of blood, and tiredly tapped out.

He held her down just a moment longer anyway, before shooting Diva a toothy grin in response and finally letting go. Grog slowly climbed back to his feet, starting to actually feel all those hits and bruises now that he no longer had the adrenaline flowing, but forced himself to raise one arm in response to the roaring crowd.

Diva slowly hauled herself back to her feet. Two clerics rushed over to her, and she let them heal the worse of her wounds, before politely waving them off. The crowd was still cheering wildly, and Phillip was still soaking it all in, so Diva gave him another minute, then walked over to him and extended a hand to shake.

“Good fight,” Diva told him.

Grog eyed her for just a second before reaching out to take the offered hand with a wide grin. "Yeah," he said happily, even as the exhaustion started to pull at him. "Lemme know if you want another shot.”

Grinning, Diva shook Phillip’s hand and replied, “Another time definitely.”