Saturday, August 21, 2021

League War Fan-Fiction: The Crucible


by Madam Marvelous (and Midgardsormr)
ID# 26130 and ID#11112

The match we fought during Round 3 was the most tense round of battle I could imagine. I don’t know if it was because the rest of my league, Lothlorien, and I fought more than we had in any of the previous rounds or if it was because of the invitation to the WMD Black Order suite to watch their fights. I was grateful for two things. (Well, three, if you count the invitation Midgarsormr had sent me.) The rest of my league fought alongside me and they all agreed to accompany me to the viewing Layak and I were invited to.

Not that their presence would make any difference if the WMD planned on maiming, murdering, or kidnapping us.

Unfortunately, our fights didn’t go as well as I hoped for. I sort of imagined at least winning a bronze medal with Lothlorien, but the NWO fought hard and won 109-48. They challenged us repeatedly. They fought like they wanted the win as badly, and maybe even a bit more, than I did. And I’m a girl who wants things, so for them to outdo me meant they had drive as well as talent. Oh well, at least I would have a shiny participant’s badge for my first efforts during a league war. Somehow it helped, focusing on the fact the only way to go was up for next time.

We traveled up to the WMD suite as a group. I tried to stay in the middle of the pack, not drawing too much attention to myself. Technically, I should ask my chaperone, Angelus, for permission to go, since it was the WMD. They had a reputation for being pretty fierce and aggressive. If I asked him, he might say no, so I went with the old proverb ‘better to ask for forgiveness than permission’.

There were security agents outside of the corridor leading to their suite. Not only did they face outward to the crowd, but also toward the suite itself. Considering that Skelanimal was in the WMD, it made sense that precautions might be made in case he went rogue again.

“This area is off limits,” a BADGE security agent said.

Layak stepped to the front of the group. “We were invited. Midgardsormr messaged us and asked us to join them for the final round.”

“Yeah, right,” the agent said.

Pulling out a printout of Midgardsormr’s invitation, Layak handed it to the woman. “Call them and ask. I’m sure they won’t be at all upset by you holding us up at the front door. We all know how patient they are.”

I giggled. I don’t know if I could have kept a straight face like he did.

She chatted for a moment into her shoulder-mounted walkie-talkie. She wore some type of goggles, but through the tinted glass, I think I saw her roll eyes. “Go on through. I’ll pray I see you again.”

Layak nodded to her and we all proceeded into the booth.

The suite wasn’t at all like I expected. I pictured it as being lair-like, with all sorts of flashy trinkets, flaming braziers, and filled with thick smoke. Instead, there were comfortable chairs, a table full of trays of sliced meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and baked goods. It was clean, spacious, and the large plate glass window gave us full view of the competition grounds and water-filled arena. The most unusual thing in the room is what captured my full attention. The Wizard’s dragon/familiar. It was napping in the back corner, not fully asleep, as I could see one of its glittering eyes beneath a heavy eyelid watching us cautiously.

The WMD themselves were on the field, spurring each other on with boisterous calls to arms. “Rip his head off!!”, “Tear him apart.”, “Don’t forget what he did to your mother last night!”, and of course “Kick her A$$” were all shouted out to inspire their fighting league mate on the field of battle. After the fight, with WMD members winning challenge after challenge, they patted one another on the back, and sometimes butt, with camaraderie and friendship.

Sometimes the world surprises you. Even bad asses can have their bonds of friendship.

The others in my league, except for the two ghosts, raided the buffet table. I also have to admit I had my fill of the various goodies put out. The croissants were divine, and with a piece of swiss cheese and peppered bacon, made for a great sandwich. I also made a small plate of meats and set it before the dragon, being cautious to not get to close. Its nostrils flared and a large tongue wound out from its maw and wrapped around the pieces of charcuterie I chose for it. He might not have been our host, but it is always a good idea to respect their pets while in their home.

WMD decisively destroyed their opponents, one of the three 5th Precinct leagues in the division. They say that some wins are so easy, that the winner didn’t even break a sweat. That wasn’t true for WMD. They won easily, but held no quarter while they fought, giving the 5th Precinct no quarter or false sense of going up against a lesser version of WMD. They fought like they loved the fight. And they fought well.

After the cheering at the end of the match, WMD entered their suite and introduced themselves to my league-mates. Midgardsormr made his way over to me. “I SSSEE YOU TOOK ADVNTAGE OF OUR HOSSSSPITALITY HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT NOW FOR SSSOME FUN COME DOWN TO THE ARENA FLOOR LET'SSS SSSSPAR”

“You want to spar with me?” My body started to ache with just the thought of fighting against him.

“I WILL UNGEAR AND PROMISSSSE NOT TO END YOU I WILL USS NO VENOM NOT TAIL WHIP MY RATTLESSS CAN CRUSSS THROUGH THE BREACTIVE TUNGSTEN BATTLE ARMOR OF A B.A.D.G.E. HELIDREADNAUGHT I WILL CRITIQUE YOUR PERFORMANCE”

I was being offered a training session with one of WMD’s elite fighters. How many people ever got an offer like that? “Ah. OK. Thank you.”

“FEEL FREE TO YAKE ASSSEKFIE VOVID BETTER YET OUR DRONE WILL TAKE 32K 3D SUTTOUND SOUND AS A MEMENTO SHOW IT OFF AT YOU LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS OR AT HOME JUSSST NO SSSOCIAL MEDIA IF YOUR EGG LAYER (MOM) EVER GETSS UPSSSSET SAY I SSURVIVED A FIGHT AGAINST MIDGARDSORMR I CAN SSSSURVIVE ANYTHINK LET'SSSS GO SSSSNAKLING”

Take a selfie video of the fight to show my mom?! Telling my mom was the last thing on my mind, but it was a very thoughtful gesture nonetheless. “That would be awesome.”

I headed down to the arena floor with him slithering behind me. “REMEMBER USE THAT IN BATTLE USSE MY IMAGE ONCE IN AWHILE WHILE YOU CHANGE THAT SSSHOULD SSSCARE THE HELL OUT OF ENIMIES NOW DOWN TO THE ARENA FLOOR TIME FOR A LESSSSON”

Sparring Video of Midgardsormr vs Madam Marvelous 

Needless to say, despite all he did to make the fight as non-lethal as he could, I still got my everything handed back to me. He was a force of nature and I was no more than a mosquito to be swatted. I gave it my all, but to be honest, I learned a fair bit more in my one round vs him than I did in my matches during the actual league war.

I collapsed into a pile after my impromptu challenge with Midgardsormr, but when he saw I was finished, he offered me a hand up from the mat. “WELL DONE LITTLE ONE YOU HAVE GREAT POTENRIAL FEW LASST 4 ROUNDSSS WITH ME EVEN WITH NO GEAR NOW GO LEARN SSSSOW YOUR PARENTSSS NOT TO WORRY SSSHOW LEAGUE MATESSSS NEVER FEAR THE BATTLE JUSSSST TRY YOUR HARDESSST”

I nodded. “Thank you. I’ll remember that, and your generosity. Thank you, Midgardsormr.”

At the end of the day, I didn’t win a gold, silver, or bronze medal, but I proved I could handle being a part of league war and I hoped I had made a new friend. Thinking on it, the friendships mean more than any prize in reality, don’t you think? I may not have won, but I certainly didn’t leave a loser.

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