#26130 and #11112
Round Three was going to be a toss-up. We knew that going in but I still hoped we might be able to win the match and take the silver medal. I mean, what an accomplishment. My first league war, the league I was in, Lothlorien, didn't medal. If we in the Star Force Junior League could earn a silver for my second time at bat, well, that would be something. They had won gold during League War Nine. It should have been more than possible.
We started out strong. We challenged the members of Mojo's Dojo like champs, picking fights that we felt were certain to bring us a win. Wyldfyre smoked a bunch of the league, taking a number of wins. Arcane Ace took the stage and cast his spells on multiple opponents, but surprisingly, one of their members, o⅄-o⅄ withstood his arcane powers and defeated him. He shook off the lose like water off a ducks back and continued to fight, earning several more wins.Finally, I took to the battlefield, facing Lestat. I'd fought him before during some of the KOTM event challenges, and felt good about the fight. He did his best to compete, but I triumphed in the end. I fought a few more matches I thought I was assured to win, and did, and then ceased my attacks. No need to wear myself out from the get go. Plus, I had an invitation to accept and the opportunity to visit Midgarsormr in the WMD box once again. Some of the others stayed behind, having to get their matches in (and some concerned at the idea of being in the presence of the WMD member) but Wyldfyre, Obsidian Strike, and Kyrie E. Laser joined me, along with Eggie, who chaperoned me most everywhere on the space station.
It was funny how so many heroes did a double-take when they watched her walk alongside of me. I guess more people recognized her as Mrs. Doubtfire than I expected. The movie came out way back in the 1990's, so I didn't think many would know who she was built to look like. It warmed my heart, realizing that though Robin Williams might have passed on, memory of his mirth and joyous roles hadn't.
Once again, BADGE security stood outside the WMD box where they observed the fights from. Surprisingly, the man at the gate nodded as I approached and waved us in without question. "Go on in. You're expected."
We headed up. The viewing room was just as elaborately set up as before, but rather than having a buffet table with huge variety of foods, there were two chefs in white coats waiting in makeshift kitchenettes.
"Hold on," Wyldfyre said. "That's Bobby Flay. I watch him on Food Network every night. He uses Calabrian Chiles in almost everything. I love Calabrian Chiles."
"And that's Emeril. I've got to get some tips from him on running a YouTube channel," Kyrie said before running over to the other kitchenette, he camera drone hovering behind her. As soon as she reached his kitchen, she turned and took a selfie with the popular chef at her side.
We ate the provided food, which was AMAZING, and watched as members of the WMD fought the Avengers 51. It wasn't a good day for the Avengers 51 team, but the true slaughter happened in the other Division One fight. The 5th Precinct: Omniversal Traffic Cops were merciless against the Angels of Sorcery. WMD had a solid lead the entire round and seemed destined to win easily, but the Angels of Sorcery went through the sausage maker that round, looking like some of the chucky meat paste that Emeril used to make his Jambalaya.
"Yes. Thanks for inviting me again," I said, looking up at him as he towered over me. Even in my adult, Madam Marvelous form, he made me feel like the little girl I was behind my shapeshifted guise. His head nearly scraped the paint off the ceiling of the room as he made his way in the room.
I glanced over at Wyldfyre and Obsidian Strike at the bar. Wyldfyre clutched a tankard foaming with some type of beer while Obsidian Strike had a much smaller, clear glass which I believed contained his preferred drink, sake or saki or something like that. They both seemed rather relaxed from whatever it was they were drinking. "I think they are."
Midgardsormr glanced at Wyldfyre, his gaze becoming slightly more irate as he studied my teammate's face. "BRING THAT ONE WITH US AS WE SPAR."
"OK," I said, not sure what beef Midgardsormr might have with Wyldfyre, but knowing my companion's mouth, he probably deserved it. "Wyldfyre. We've been invited to spar."
"What??" Wyldfyre glared at me and then his foamy drink. "Maybe in a bit. I just poured my Toppling Goliath K.B.B. Stout. You can't find this stuff anywhere. They only make it once a year."
I stared back at him with the widest eyes I could and jerked my head at Midgardsormr. "We've been invited by our HOST to spar..."
"Fine," Wyldfyre said as he approached, taking a long sip from his tankard. "But I'm taking this with me. You fight him first."
Midgardsormr growled faintly under his breath, surprising me. I never expected him to be able to do anything subtly.
Our host lead Wyldfyre, Eggie, and myself to a special elevator that carried us down to a private gymnasium. It was a tight fit despite there only being four of us in the car. If I were ever to become claustrophobic, this would not have been a good time for it to happen. When the doors finally opened, I felt relieved. One fart at the wrong time, and I don't know if I would have survived the experience.
With more experience than I had last time I sparred with Midgardsormr, I managed to last probably half-a-second longer in the ring. Midgardsormr flexed his tail once and knocked me a dozen feet away onto my back. He launched into the air with a spryness something of his size shouldn't have, pinning me to the ground.
"Now, listen here you wretched beastie," Eggie began. She hadn't been present the time Midgardsormr and I had previously sparred. Even though, as before, he restrained himself from using his poisonous stinger, it must have looked like he was going to rip me into pieces to her. Eggie launched herself into the ring and swung her massive travel bag filled with her belongings at his head. "You let her up or I'll have her next costume made out of your hide. They'll call you Midgard-no-mor after I'm done with you."
With a flurry of motion, he swiped one arm below her skirt, knocking her in the knees and bringing Eggie crashing to the mat. She started to swear in several languages, the blow likely damaging her communication systems. He laid his tail across her chest, letting the weight of it hold her down. "SHE IS QUITE FUNNY SHOCKING THAT A ANDROID PROGRAMMED AS A GRANDMOTHER WOULD USE THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE"
"Let her up, please. I'll make sure she doesn't interfere again," I helped Eggie up from the ground after Midgardsormr freed her and led her to a chair to sit down. "Run your diagnostics and let us fight. He's not going to do any permanent damage to me. I'll be fine." I couldn't tell her that Midgardsormr wasn't going to hurt me. He was. There was no way to avoid that. It was part of training with him. You have to get through the bad to get to the good.
Returning my attention to the ring, Midgardsormr had summoned Wyldfyre into the ring. Taking a firm stance, his legs spread out slightly as he readied to dodge to one side or the other, Wyldfyre released a blast of fire from his hands that wove around his body and created a bubble of swirling flames. Midgardsormr wrapped his tail beneath him in a coil, preparing to launch. A couple of fireballs shot out from Wyldfyre's damage field, which struck Midgardsormr with the same impact as a warm breeze. Midgardsormr then dove forward, but not to tackle Wyldfyre. He instead landed on his hands in a handspring and spun his massive tail like a whip at Wyldfyre, smashing into his chest and knocking him flying into the Stellar Arena's glass dome.
"BE CAREFUL OF THIS ONE LITTLE BLOSSOM HE IS LITTLE MORE THAN A MERCENARY" Midgardsormr said. "SHOULD HE PROVE TO BE UNWORTHY I TRUST YOU WILL DISPATCH HIM AS I WOULD"
Wyldfyre crashed onto the mat and groaned as he passed out. A medical crew rolled in with a gurney and removed him from the gymnasium as he muttered "Did amyone get the mumber of dat semi? I tink my jaw is boken agaim."
Midgarsormr and I sparred for a while longer, despite Eggie's concerned glances. His training was far different than most others. He continued to attack with the same force, in the same way each and every time, forcing me to find ways to counter. When I finally did, he varied his attack just enough that the tactic I used wouldn't work a second time, forcing me to find new alternatives. I knew after sparring with him, I would be a better combatant in further fights.
I grinned at his pleasure with the thought, then checked the time on my communicator. "Oh. I've got to get back. I need to see if I have any new challenges issued."
Obsidian Strike and Kyrie had already left when I got back. Bobby Flay and Emeril both handed me a doggie bag of their culinary gems as I raced to the door, waving goodbye to my large friend. "Thank you, Midgardsormr. See you soon. I'll see if Mom with let you come over for Thanksgiving dinner."
He gave me a single salute as I ran out of the room, Eggie in tow. He grabbed a few more skewers of meat and devoured them as I departed.
When I got to the Star Force Junior League locker room, Wyldfyre was already there. His face was bruised, badly, but he seemed overall fighting fit. I checked the scoreboard, and we had lost our lead. We needed to make up ground and recapture it if we wanted the silver medal.
Miss Mojo challenged me, and I lost the fight. NoDramaMamma challenged most of the others, defeating them in short order. Arcane Ace had saved some of his challenges if needed near the end of the round. He challenged Miss Mojo, Fuzzy Lumpkins, and Princess Morebuck$ and wiped the floor with them.
We were still behind in points. Ace came up to me as I sat on the bench. "It's crunch time. We're going to lose unless we take some risks. Do you feel up to it?"
After training with Midgardsormr, I felt like I had some new tricks up my sleeve I could use against Mojo's Dojo. I fought NoDramaMamma and won. Miss Mojo challenged me, and I defeated her. Bolstered by the wins, I challenged Miss Mojo, and lost. Then I repeated the challenge, believing I could beat her with some alterations to my technique, but I was wrong. I lost again.
I searched the stands and sought out sign that Midgardsormr might have chosen to show up to watch my battles. He sat there with his arms crossed, his demeanor undecipherable. I hoped he at least saw me win one of my challenges.
In the end, after we took any opportunity we believed had a chance, we didn't win the round. Mojo's Dojo won 106 to 84. We met our opponents on the field of battle and shook hands, offering our sincere congratulations.
As we gathered in the locker room afterward, Arcane Ace waved his hand and several ID badges appeared in them. "We gave them a good fight in all our matches. Several of you are new to the league, and I think we have a strong foundation to build on. I'd like to formally invite all of you to remain with the our little league. Obsidian Strike. Madam Marvelous. Wyldfyre. Welcome."
I took my badge with pride. I looked forward to growing with them.
Watch out League War 11. Silver or better is my next goal.
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