A/N: I know the Ocean Dome closed in late 2007, but I'm pretending that never happened. Also, I had this idea before it closed, just my lazy posting means that it's now incorrect. So for the sake of this fic, let's just pretend the Ocean Dome was a great success…
Also, more references to my version of previous storylines (in this case, the Chojin Crown line-up and results).
Recap: With Wally and Terry hospitalised, Trixie was taken back to The Anarchists hide-out, where Edward convinced her to switch loyalties and join his group. The remaining Muscle Leaguers set out to prepare for their own upcoming matches, but Mars was oddly pessimistic.
Chapter 9 – Trusting Team Mates?
Meat stared blankly at the sheet of paper in his hands for a prolonged moment in time before lifting his eyes to Kevin Mask, who was standing expectantly in front of him.
"Miyasaki," he said with a sigh.
"Alright," Kevin said, with a nod of his head.
"Aw, hell no!" Mars cursed, stamping a foot.
Kevin turned to Mars questioningly, who returned his look with one of confusion.
"Miyazaki," he repeated slowly. "He don't even gotta read whereabouts in Miyazaki, cause it's already obvious."
Kevin turned back to Meat, who was nodding his head solemnly.
"Dat dirty son of a bitch!" Mars added, before hurriedly correcting himself as he caught Kevin's eye. "Oh, oh, sorry Kev. I meant dat Eddie was a really nasty asshole, nothin' against your mother."
Kevin nodded before turning back to Meat.
"So today's fight will be held in Miyazaki, Japan," he said slowly.
"At the Ocean Dome?" Kid suddenly said, appearing from nowhere at Kevin's side.
"Yeah Kid, it's at the Seagaia Ocean Dome," Meat replied, turning the fax around to show Kid the proof.
"We're going to the Ocean Dome?" Kid squealed.
Kevin turned to Kid to ask him just what he was blabbering on about, starting in surprise when he found Kid suddenly dressed in lurid red trunks, a blinding Hawaiian shirt, bright green flip-flops, enormous bug-eyed sunglasses and an inflated rubber ring around his waist, a bottle of suntan lotion in one hand and a picnic basket in the other.
"Kid, this ain't a holiday!" Meat snapped at him.
"But think of all the girls on the beach!" Kid drooled, waggling his bottle of suntan lotion.
"The beach?" Kevin echoed.
"He means inside da Ocean Dome," Mars explained.
Kevin started to nod his head and feign agreement, but then decided against it.
"I don't quite follow," he admitted.
"You never heard of the Ocean Dome?" Meat asked him.
"No," Kevin replied.
"It's an indoor beach," Mars explained.
"Kevin dude, you need to get out more!" Kid snorted, prodding Kevin in the ribs with his elbow. "The Ocean Dome has great weather and surf all year round, and, best of all, hundreds of girls in bikinis!"
"You're a married man, show some self-restraint!" Kevin snapped at him.
"And get your head in da game, you idiot!" Mars added. "Dis ain't no holiday. Don't you remember what happened when you fought Hydrazoa over water?"
"Um…" Kid began, rolling his eyes to the roof pensively.
"And we're not talkin' about how the girls were dressed that day!" Meat reminded him.
Kid yelped as the memory of fighting Hydrazoa in his natural habitat suddenly struck him.
"Well we'd better get moving," Meat suggested. "Jaeger and Dik Dik are already on their way, we need to catch the next flight out there."
Kevin turned to Mars as the others started to ready themselves for departure.
"I can't believe you ain't never heard of da Ocean Dome," Mars said, shaking his head in despair. "When dis stupid tournament is over, I'm sendin' you on a vacation."
"Well fight fans, here we are at the Seagaia Ocean Dome, the set for today's match-up between the Muscle League and The Anarchists. Doc, any comments on what the fans can expect to see today?"
"Well Mac, today Dik Dik Van Dik and Jaeger are taking on Hydrazoa and Road Rage. As long-standing fans will already know, Jaeger was once team-mates with Hydrazoa and Road Rage during the Generation Ex Tournament, and during that time, Dik Dik fought against Jaeger for a place in the IWF stationed here on Earth. A lotta history in this one, Mac."
"That's right Doc, and with the ring set up right in the middle of the artificial ocean here at the Ocean Dome, you gotta wonder if the volcano and the wave machines will play a part in today's fight."
"A definite advantage for Hydrazoa if they did, Mac. Will it be a wave of success for The Anarchists, or will they be washed away by the Red Rain of Pain? We'll find out shortly."
Mars snorted again and Kevin groaned out a sigh again.
"Can I have a bite of your cherry strudel?" Mars giggled.
"Whatever," Amy grunted.
"Would you like to taste my weiner?" Mars asked her, his words punctuated by increasingly unbidden laugher.
"Grow up!" Amy snarled.
"I bet I could make ya yodel all through da night, toots!"
"That's Switzerland, you ignorant creep!" Amy snapped, slapping Mars over the head with her programme.
"Oh yeah?" Mars asked. "If it's Switzerland, den how many holes does your-"
"Mars, cut it out," Kevin cut him off.
"Aw, c'mon Kev!" Mars moaned. "Look at her! She obviously dressed like dat to make us laugh at her!"
"Just leave her alone," Kevin quietly added.
"Yeah Mars, back off," Amy sneered at Mars. "And as for you!" she snapped, turning to Kevin. "How many times do I have to tell you: I can fight my battles just fine on my own! I don't need you doing your silly, out-dated little "knight in shining helmet" routine!"
"Shining helmet!" Mars chuckled, his shoulders shuddering with suppressed laughter.
Kevin sighed, turning to Amy, who was – inexplicably – sat between himself and Mars. In keeping with the dreadful outfit she had been wearing to the previous match, she was dressed in something Kevin reasoned was probably meant to inspire the Muscle League Chojins fighting that day by showing her support. But frankly, she looked like she ought to be flogging mugs of warm, flat beer and strings of greasy sausages on a dubious, tourist-infested back lane in a remote village in Germany.
"I think she looks cute, and it's very touching that she is so supportive of the boys," Marie said, her tone quiet but serious. "Maybe some of the rest of you could take a page out of Amy's book and put more effort into supporting your friends."
Kevin sighed, feeling oddly as though he had just been hurled back almost twenty years through time and his own mother had just told him off for getting his knees muddy before Sunday school.
"Why are you still here anyway?" he asked, turning to Amy.
She turned to look up at him, her eyes and lips thinned into a scowl.
"Because somebody threw me into a prison cell onboard a spaceship that took me here," she began, her tone slowly building in pitch, pre-warning Kevin that he was about receive another verbal bashing. "When that spaceship made it's return journey it left without me, and when a second spaceship was sent to collect me, some idiot cried "bomb" and the ship was taken into custody for a full safety check. Until that ship gets released again, I'm stuck here. And I figure since I am stuck here, I might as well make the most of it, and attend some wrestling matches, because I actually enjoy watching wrestling live. Is that okay with you?"
Kevin watched her blankly for a moment, silently aware that her last question had come out particularly loud, attracting the attention of a large radius of people around them.
"So you're not following me again then?" Kevin asked casually.
"Oh for the love of…" she began, before growling out some indecipherable words under her breath. "Don't flatter yourself!"
She folded her arms tightly over her chest and sat back forcefully in her seat, her disgruntled scowl shortly melting as her eyes moved to something in the distance. Kevin instinctively followed the direction she appeared to be looking, not entirely surprised to find Edward and his group slowly making their way towards them. Even though Edward was, as always, wearing his iron mask, Kevin was sure by the way he held himself that Edward was smirking at the predicament they found themselves in: the Muscle League were down two members, whilst all eight of Edward's group appeared to be in attendance. And, as Kevin watched them once more settle into the row directly in front of the Muscle League Chojins in attendance, Edward appeared to have once more pre-arranged the seating order of his team.
Death Angel sat in front of Kid again, Edward sat in front of Mars and Fargo sat in front of Kevin.
"And dat right dere is how a lady ought to dress, so take notes," Mars loudly whispered to Amy, nudging her with his elbow and pointing at the back of Sprite's head.
Edward turned in his seat at the sound of Mars's voice, eying Mars over before shifting to Amy. He hesitated at Amy, studying her a little more carefully before turning to Kevin.
"Are you collecting people with scarred faces or something?" he asked Kevin.
"What?" Amy echoed.
"Honestly Kevin, you're worse than our father," Edward snorted, aiming a thumb at Amy. "He liked his women homely and asexual too."
Kevin stood abruptly, but Fargo stood in front of him, moving an arm over Edward to block Kevin from reaching him.
"How dare you talk about our mother like that?" Kevin growled at Edward, ignoring Fargo entirely.
Edward shrugged.
"The last memory I have of the old bag was her burning alive because of you," he said casually.
Kevin made to pounce on Edward but Mars shot up, slapping a hand against Kevin's chest to hold him back.
"Thanks Marsy," Edward said sweetly, turning his back on Mars and Kevin.
Mars glowered at the back of Edward's head, but after a deep breath and long, slow sigh, he regained his composure.
"Just sit down, Kev," he muttered, removing his hand from Kevin's chest and returning to his own seat.
Kevin slowly sat back down, watching Fargo follow his lead. An awkward silence seemed to follow, and although Kevin was a great lover of silence, even he was concerned by the lack of noise around him. Turning to his side, he saw Amy sitting stiffly in her chair, her eyes expressionless and unblinking and her face oddly devoid of emotion. As he watched, Kevin saw Marie lean across Mars's legs to take hold of one of Amy's hands.
"Don't listen to him," she whispered to Amy. "He's just trying to be mean to the boys."
Amy nodded stiffly, but did not move her eyes or change her expression. Kevin tried to understand what was going on: Edward had just insulted Alice Mask so why would that upset Amy? But before he could figure out the complexity that was a woman's mind, Kevin's thoughts were interrupted by the magnified sound of Ikeman's voice from the centre of the ring.
"Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen!" he sang out. "And welcome to the Seagaia Ocean Dome! Today we will witness a tag team from the Muscle League take on a tag team from the DMP, in the name of my own sister, Jacqueline McMadd!"
Ikeman thrust his arm out to one side, and all heads in the audience turned, a collective gasp resounding in the air as a cage lowered over the mouth of the artificial volcano at the back of the dome.
"Introducing The Anarchists, Road Rage and Hydrazoa!" Ikeman continued, his words immediately followed by blaring music.
As Road Rage and Hydrazoa came into sight Kid let out a cry of alarm, but quickly clamped both hands over his mouth and cowered down as Mars shot him a glare that could have killed a weaker mortal.
"You've seen 'em before," Mars ground out through gritted teeth. "You ain't got no excuse for pissin' yourself."
Kid slowly moved his hands to his crotch, crossing his legs over nervously. Mars grumbled some choice curse words under his breath before snapping to attention as he caught Marie glowering at him.
"Sorry Miss," he said, bowing his head politely.
Kevin sat forwards, pulling a face of childish disbelief at Mars; which of course was a completely redundant thing to do, given that his entire head was hidden beneath his trusty mask. Sitting back with a small sigh, Kevin began wondering just when it was that the IWF had shifted from a dignified assembly where men fought for honour to a gathering of hormonal teenage boys out-numbered by giggling girls and nagging women. The IWF of the 21st Century was not the same band of men fighting with their lives at stake, striving for the totality of strength within, that Kevin's father had sold to him as a child.
Sometimes, Kevin thought darkly, he missed his days with the DMP.
"And the Muscle League's very own Jaeger and Dik Dik Van Dik!" Ikeman cried out, striking a ridiculous pose that even Kid Muscle would not be stupid enough to attempt in a public arena.
Just to further remind Kevin of how ludicrous wrestling had become, the girl at his side yelled out a crass cheer, clapping her hands in encouragement. Kevin shifted his gaze and, for a brief moment, caught his brother's eye. Edward held his gaze for less than a second before making a small snort of condescending laughter and turning back to the ring. Kevin stole a glance at Amy, eying her over curiously. He concluded that Edward had somehow – obviously quite mistakenly – assumed that Amy was Kevin's girlfriend. Which was, of course, a ridiculous notion, Kevin told himself, and one that could have no possible impact on the ongoing tournament Edward had instigated, and therefore ought to be none of Edward's concern.
Kevin sighed, the thump reaching his ears before he realised what he had done.
"Kevin!" Amy hissed at him.
Kevin first looked down at his booted foot, the heel of which was resting directly in front of Amy's feet, just below the footprint it had just left in the back of Sprite's chair where he had inadvertently kicked out. Lifting his eyes, Kevin saw Sprite and Edward both glowering at him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sprite sneered, narrowing his disturbingly pretty amber eyes at Kevin.
"It was me," Amy suddenly blurted out.
Kevin's neck snapped around in Amy's direction so quickly he felt it burn; but Amy merely twitched her eyebrows at him before turning back to Sprite.
"I can't see a damn thing over that stupid hat you're wearing," Amy told Sprite confidently, lifting her chin in a defiant manner that spoke of a courage Kevin had never encountered before in a woman.
"And I can't hear a damn thing over that trashy, loud outfit you're wearing, but you don't hear me complaining!" Sprite snippily shot back at her.
"Oh meow!" Amy spat, her confidence seemingly unwavering. "Just take off the hat. Enjoy the sea breeze in your hair while you can, because by the time Kid Muscle and Checkmate are through with you, you'll be spending your days cooped up in a hospital bed crying for your mother!"
"Oh please! You're only here because you're having it away the leader of the Muscle League!" Sprite snorted, pointing at Kevin.
"Oh yeah?" Amy yelled, sitting forwards to bring herself face-to-face with Sprite. "Well ditto to you, darling! You're only here because you're taking it up the chuff from the leader of the DMP!"
"You wretched street urchin, shut your mouth or I'll finish what was started right here!" Sprite shouted, waving a finger at Amy's scars.
"With fingernails like that you probably could! Why don't you just take off the hat and put your handbag down, sister!"
"You uncouth, nasty, venomous snake-woman!"
"And you're a rude, loud-mouthed little slut!"
"You, woman, are a–"
"Stop it!" Kevin roared, shooting forwards in his seat.
Sprite and Amy both turned to Kevin, their mouths clamped shut, blinking at him curiously.
"Don't talk to Amy like that!" Kevin growled, jabbing a finger at Sprite.
"See, she is his latest bitch," Edward told Sprite, who nodded in agreement.
"She is not my bitch!" Kevin snapped. "Just take the hat off, and don't ever talk to her like that again!"
"Why not?" Amy asked, curling her lip at Kevin. "You do it all the time…"
"I'm allowed to, no-one else!" Kevin said.
Sprite turned back to the ring, giggling into his fist, but removing his hat anyway. Kevin froze, his own words echoing around his head as he locked eyes with Amy, who was staring at him incredulously, her jaw hanging open. He really had no idea what had inspired his outburst that had, quite literally, come from nowhere. He had been listening to Amy and Sprite argue, one moment feeling amazed and confused that Amy had taken the blame for his earlier actions, and then suddenly something about the direction their argument took made something inside him snap.
"It's very hot in here," he commented, grabbing Amy's programme from her and wafting it in front of himself in a vain attempt to air his face which was suddenly uncomfortably warm beneath his mask; feeling much the same way it did after a very demanding fight or rigorous workout.
"Okay…" Amy breathed, sitting back quietly in her seat and turning to the ring.
Kevin released a small sigh, his brain racing as it tried to justify what had just occurred. The way Amy had been arguing with Sprite had reminded him of the way she usually argued with him; more specifically, the night she had argued with him outside of The Palace, the night he had saved her from being mugged. The night she had been applying to The Palace for a job, and therefore dressed like one of the staff; which was an image that had never really left Kevin's mind.
Suppressing the thought, as he had so often done in the years since that night, Kevin focussed on the ring, where Dik Dik and Hydrazoa had started off the fight, with Jaeger and Road Rage standing in their respective corners. At least this time the fight was starting out in a correct and orderly fashion, Kevin thought to himself.
Dik Dik started off by lunging at Hydrazoa as though to tackle him. Hydrazoa effortlessly dodged to one side to avoid the attack, but Dik Dik kept going forwards, kicking back out with one leg as he passed Hydrazoa, his heel connecting with Hydrazoa's temple. At the side of the ring, Broken nodded his approval, and the sight brought a distinct sense of relief to Kevin, as he realised that Broken had at least worked on preparing his men for this match; and since Broken had witnessed both Hydrazoa and Road Rage train at the Hercules Factory, he was best placed to know their weaknesses and how best to combat their deadliest attacks.
Dik Dik wasted no time, capitalising on his advantage by grabbing an arm around the back of Hydrazoa's neck catching him in a front face-lock and slamming him down to the canvas in a DDT. The audience cheered out appreciatively, but Dik Dik remained focussed, grabbing at Hydrazoa before he could stand again, flipping him over in a fisherman suplex. As Dik Dik rose from the move, he failed to notice a sweeping kick from Hydrazoa that caught one of his ankles. Dik Dik stumbled, catching the ropes to steady himself, realising too late that he was dangerously close to the opposite team's corner.
Before Dik Dik had time to look up, Road Rage grabbed both of his horns and leapt back off the ring apron to the ground, squashing Dik Dik's eyes into the top rope. Road Rage released his hold of Dik Dik just before he reached the ground, causing the spring in the rope to act as a catapult that sent Dik Dik flying up and back to the other side of the ring where he landed hard on his back, blinking in a daze of temporary blindness. Dik Dik slowly moved the heels of his palms to his eyes, rolling onto his side on instinct, the burn of the rope against his eyes feeling as though he had just been subjected to tear gas.
"Dik Dik, over here!" Jaeger called to him.
Dik Dik blinked through the haze, spotting Jaeger's outstretched hand a short distance in front of him, easily within arm's length if he were to reach for it. Dik Dik hesitated, a thoughtful look passing over his face before rolling away from Jaeger and grabbing at the ropes to pull himself up. Hydrazoa quickly stomped a foot into Dik Dik's ribs, sending him back down to the mat before he could fully right himself.
Jaeger growled out a few choice curse words in his own language, gripping his hands into the ropes in frustration as he watched Hydrazoa shift the direction of the match and dominate Dik Dik with a series of devastating kicks and elbows. Behind him, Jaeger vaguely heard Broken urging him to be patient and remain calm, but Jaeger's mind was starting to wander to other matters: more specifically, Dik Dik's performance during the Generation Ex Tournament.
Dik Dik had conspired against one of his own team-mates (Terry Kenyon), beaten Jaeger, and lost his self-control throughout the tournament because of his feelings for Kiki. And, Jaeger thought darkly, Dik Dik had continued to act in a devious manner beyond the end of the tournament when he set about destroying Kiki's chances to be with Mars. Although Dik Dik had not shown that side of his personality since that time, Jaeger was still a little wary of him, and he had been less than happy when Dik Dik was assigned as his tag team partner back at the official Bad Blood Tournament press conference; but he had not argued the point because the way Mars had suggested they form teams had sounded as though it made sense. Jaeger just hoped that Dik Dik was not out to try to prove something to someone like he had been during the Generation Ex Tournament, because he had proved there that he was not proficient at keeping his emotions in check in the ring, even if the battle he faced was a crucial one.
And so, when Dik Dik was thrown into the corner-post, Jaeger wasted no time in slapping his shoulder and leaping over the top rope.
"Tag," Jaeger offered, as he caught Dik Dik glaring at him in a state of bemusement.
Hydrazoa was charging towards them, looking only slightly perturbed to see that Jaeger had also entered the ring.
"Get out of ze vay!" Jaeger urged, waving a hand at Dik Dik.
Dik Dik made a grunting sound that suggested he was not happy or in agreement with what Jaeger had just done, but he ducked out through the ropes regardless. Jaeger leaned back, grabbing the top ropes on either side of the corner and leapt up, striking out and catching Hydrazoa's chin with both heels. Dik Dik glanced over his shoulder at Broken, but since the old man seemed focused on what Jaeger was doing inside the ring, Dik Dik turned away again, deciding against attempting a conversation with him. Dik Dik was a little concerned about putting Jaeger into the ring with his former classmates from the Hercules Factory, especially so early in the match when Hydrazoa was still relatively fresh and Road Rage had not even entered the ring yet.
Dik Dik sighed, his eyes wandering upwards to the cage by the top of the volcano, something seeming distinctly wrong as he took in the image of Jacqueline McMadd standing in the cage, one arm draped through the bars, the other bent up to her head, where her fingers were idly toying with her hair. She almost looked bored, Dik Dik thought to himself, unsure if that was amusing or just outright absurd. His memories of Trixie from two days ago were of a terrified girl screaming and pleading for her life; and although Jacqueline was arguably the strongest of the four girls who had been abducted, surely even she ought to be at least a little concerned and unhappy about being held prisoner by the DMP and balanced over a volcano in a cage, like some sort of exotic creature in a pet shop.
Dik Dik shook his head, deciding that Jacqueline was too far away from him to clearly read her facial expressions, and he was basing his assumptions on her stance alone, which he was most probably misinterpreting. Moving his attention back to the task at hand, Dik Dik watched with wide eyes as Jaeger and Hydrazoa took shot after shot at each other, dodging every attack aimed at themselves each time. They were starting to look like mimes performing on a street corner, and were doing nothing more than wearing themselves out. If they continued, Dik Dik thought to himself, the result of the fight would come down to who was the fittest; though currently it looked like they were both tiring at an equal pace.
"What's the matter, Jaeger?" Hydrazoa taunted him as they continued to dodge and dive around each other. "Did you forget that I know every one of your moves?"
"Nein," Jaeger replied, sounding a little too breathless for Dik Dik's liking. "Maybe you forget zhat I graduated top of ze class!"
"Dat's not true…" Mars muttered under his breath.
The others sat around him turned to him expectantly.
"Well, ya know, dey deducted points for…" Mars began, scratching at the back of his head as he searched for the right words to use.
"Bad conduct?" Kevin bluntly asked him.
"Bad behaviour," Mars corrected him.
"And you think you would have finished top of class if you hadn't been messin' around?" Meat asked him cynically.
"Hey, my track record in da ring says all dat needs to be said," Mars plainly replied.
In front of Mars, Edward snorted.
"Somethin' funny, Eddie?" Mars asked in a low voice.
"Nothing at all," Edward sighed. "If you're happy to be third best, nothing at all."
Mars's eyes thinned dangerously as he stared at the back of Edward's masked head.
"Oh yeah?" he challenged.
"Well you lost to Kid Muscle and Kevin, so…" Edward said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Say dat to my face, ya little rat!" Mars snarled, sitting forwards.
"Save it for the ring," Kevin suggested, reaching an arm over the back of Amy's seat to grab Mars's shoulder and pull him back in his seat.
Mars sat back with a growl, folding his arms moodily, his eyes still set on Edward. Satisfied that Mars had been contained, Kevin moved his hand to the corner of Amy's chair, resting his forearm along the back of her chair.
Back in the ring, despite having managed to overwhelm Jaeger, Hydrazoa tagged out, allowing Road Rage to step in. Jaeger stumbled around, hesitating only briefly to acknowledge that his opponent had changed before attempting a leg-sweep kick in the hope of tripping Road Rage over before he could start his trickery. However, Jaeger's move missed as Road Rage hopped to one side. As Jaeger stood up again he was aware that Road Rage was immediately behind him, and remembering his former classmate's Guard Rail Grab, Jaeger quickly leapt up, delivering a spinning heel kick to Road Rage's head, sending him staggering into the ropes. Jaeger was trying to keep from looking directly at Road Rage's face to avoid his road sign attacks, and he knew that if he could just get Road Rage down to the mat, he could wrestle him there and hopefully press his advantage for a victory.
But as he turned to pounce on Road Rage Jaeger hesitated – his hesitation was only brief, no more than two seconds – but it was long enough for Road Rage to recover and attack Jaeger, grabbing him face-on with his Guard Rail Grab.
"It's been a long time, Jaeger!" he sneered, leaning into Jaeger's face.
On the ring apron Dik Dik growled in frustration at Jaeger's lapse in concentration: although looking the direction Jaeger's head had been turned, he could understand why Jaeger had been affected. Jacqueline was apparently admiring her own feet, as though what was transpiring below her was nothing more than a dull puppet show unworthy of her attention.
"I saw you fight in the Chojin Olympics," Road Rage continued as Jaeger tried to squirm out of the Guard Rail Grab. "I promise you today your loss will be in a more dignified manner than a ridiculous "Panties on a Pole" match like the one Kid Muscle beat you in!"
"I vas fighting for ze Chojin Crown!" Jaeger argued back. "It vas dignified!"
Road Rage merely laughed in reply.
"Since we didn't get Wally Tusket's head, maybe I just should just take yours!" he said darkly, his laughter fading as his triangular head began to spin.
Jaeger gasped, leaning back, his spine flexing backwards as he tried to avoid Road Rage's Rotary Saw attack. Thanks to his extensive gymnastic training with Broken Junior, Jaeger was quite flexible, and due to the apparently unbreakable hold Road Rage had him in, Jaeger knew he would have to rely on his flexibility to escape harm.
"These fights are a lot bloodier than the Chojin Crown was!" Amy hissed, wincing and leaning closer to Kevin as the gap between Jaeger's chest and Road Rage's spinning triangular head gradually narrowed.
Kevin shifted his eyes to Amy, flinching involuntarily as her head lightly touched his shoulder. Looking down her back he noticed that he had somehow forgotten to remove his arm from the back of her chair; but since she had apparently not noticed either, Kevin decided not to mention it or to attempt to move it.
Back in the ring, Dik Dik was unashamedly gaping at what he saw: Jaeger was almost doubled back over completely, and Road Rage had not yet managed to cut into him. In fact, it appeared as though Road Rage could not lean forward any more, and Jaeger would be safe. But, Dik Dik thought darkly, Jaeger was attached to Road Rage's body by a metal clamp, and so there seemed no way for him to escape without standing upright and enduring the Rotary Saw attack. Tilting his head from side to side, Dik Dik failed to see a way out for Jaeger that would not involve bloodshed; and turning to Broken Junior, he saw that he was not alone in his dark premonition.
Dik Dik turned back to the ring, barely catching the sight of Hydrazoa slipping a foot under the bottom rope and kicking one of Jaeger's legs out from under him. Jaeger stumbled, his spine straightening a little on instinct, thrusting him into Road Rage's Rotary Saw.
"Hey!" Dik Dik protested, waving a fist in the air.
Hydrazoa merely shrugged his shoulders in reply, almost as a reminder to Dik Dik that he and Road Rage now worked for the DMP. Jaeger finally found his footing, but in his stumbling, he had earned himself two deep gashes on his upper chest and one dangerously close to his neck.
"How about that pesky Red Rain of Pain?" Road Rage said, grabbing an arm around the back of Jaeger's neck and twisting him over to one side. "I know one way to stop that little problem!"
Road Rage began to cut Jaeger's right arm at the shoulder, the first flicker of genuine panic passing over Jaeger's face. Dik Dik could see no way for Jaeger to escape, and if he lost an arm, their chances of winning would be drastically reduced; particularly when the arm in question was the one Jaeger used to perform his signature move. As Dik Dik warred with whether or not to leap into the ring to stop what was inevitably unfolding, his eyes once more wandered to Jacqueline, who was sitting on the floor of her cage, one leg stretched out in front of herself, the other bent at the knee. Her back was rested against the cage bars, and one arm was resting on her bent knee, her hand lifted towards her face, where it appeared she was inspecting her fingernails, apparently oblivious to what was going on in the ring.
A buzzer suddenly sounded, which seemed to come as a surprise to everyone bar The Anarchists and Kid Muscle.
"What in the name of all that is holy was that?" Dik Dik asked, his ear pricking up as he looked around himself nervously.
"It's the volcano!" Kid Muscle yelled to him. "It's gonna blow!"
"What?" Meat yelped.
"The buzzer means the volcano is gonna explode in two minutes, and then the waves go tubular!" Kid said cheerfully.
"What about Jacqueline?" Marie gasped, clutching a hand to her chest as she looked up at the cage above the mouth of the volcano.
The audience gasped as clouds of smoke began slowly seeping up from the volcano, gradually building in thickness and height, slowly engulfing the cage Jacqueline was trapped in. Jacqueline looked about herself, her eyes becoming wide with panic. As the smoke began to swirl around her head, she hurriedly stood up, stretching up to her fullest height in a vain attempt to distance herself from the problem.
"Looks like Dik Dik and Jaeger are running out of time if they want to save Jacqueline McMadd," Edward said loudly.
"You never said that this was a timed match!" Meat shouted, standing out of his seat. "This isn't fair!"
"Dis ain't good," Mars said solemnly, shaking his head slowly. "Two minutes after dat buzzer, flames come up from da volcano. If dey don't get to Jacqueline real quick, den…"
"Then the Muscle League losers are down two-nil, and looking pretty pathetic," Edward said triumphantly.
Next Chapter: With a volcano eruption and a high tide on the way, the second match of the Bad Blood Tournament starts to get messy. Literally... Chapter 10 – Shifting Tides.
