Loud, booming music played through Ruby's office as she tapped her feet to its rhythm. She bopped her head, absentmindedly mouthing the lyrics while she dropped her keys on her desk. Taking in a deep breath, she performed her daily morning stretches before gathering all the tools she needed from various drawers and tool racks. Once she got all that she needed, she placed them on her desk, the different metals clanging with each other.
Ear-deafening music, check. Equipment, check.
Alright, first order of the day! With the flick of a switch, her lamp was on. She rubbed her hands together, quickly scanning the different materials laid in front of her.
She pulled her office chair with her leg before plopping herself down and doing a spin. Stopping in front of the speakers, she raised the volume.
Pro number one of working as a mechanic: nobody cared about loud voices, songs, or loud anything! It's a workshop, it's meant to be loud, duh. It was the perfect excuse to blast her favorite band's songs. Of course, it always inconvenienced her father whenever she rode shotgun, and the car instantly blared The Fours' Top 50 Hits. She'd learned not to do that anymore when they nearly swerved off of a bridge and into a river.
Ruby patted the huge, metallic box waiting for her on her desk, grabbed her screwdriver then started unscrewing its back part. One by one, she placed the tiny pieces off to the side. Everything was smooth-sailing, until the moment she was taking off the last one, then a screw rolled off and bounced on the floor.
Ruby sucked in a breath. "No no no no —" She groaned in defeat when it eventually hid somewhere beneath one of her cabinets.
Welp. That sucked. Who knew how dusty it was down there? She was also pretty sure that was the exact same place where a cockroach ran off to earlier. Sneaky bastard. She had to remember to buy that bug spray next time.
Ruby had a coughing fit as soon as she leaned down, her face given a surprise welcome by an extended family of dust and cobwebs just chilling around the nooks and crannies of her workspace.
Yup, probably had to add a vacuum on that grocery list.
For now, she held her breath and shone a flashlight to retrieve the screw. She fumbled around, feeling bits of tiny rocks and candy wrappers lying underneath the cabinet. She searched and searched through two months of junk until…
"Aha! Gotcha." Ruby flashed a smug grin as she held her prized possession up high.
Only to drop it again the second her door violently flung open and nearly gave her a heart attack.
"Up and at 'em, Rubes!" Yang, her sweet, oh so caring sister, hollered before slamming the door shut. Ruby could only watch in horror as her phone fell off into the trash can with a thwunk.
"Yang, what are you doing here?" She groaned, picking up her phone and wiping it clean with her gloves. She didn't know why, but she instinctively gave it a sniff. A huge mistake, because as soon as she did, her eyes rolled back and a shiver went up her spine. It was like a miserable rotten cheese… mixed with the tortured souls of last week's spaghetti sauce. So no, not a good smell.
If there were instant noodles, there were instant regrets. Ruby had a lot of those.
"Yeah, uh, could you turn that off first?" Yang asked, pointing at the speakers.
So now, there was no music, her screw was nowhere to be found, and her phone smelled like last Friday's takeout pizza. Whoopie.
"So what brings you he — AAAAH LUNGS, I HAVE LUNGS, YANG."
Without sparing a second, Yang had already wrapped Ruby in a mandatory hug, squeezing the life out of her. She nuzzled and lifted her off the ground, while Ruby frantically slapped her arms in an attempt to break free.
"I missed you, dumdum. It's been so long!" She released Ruby, ruffling her hair as she did so.
Ruby removed the stray hairs from her face then squinted up at her.
"We literally just saw each other three days ago," she deadpanned. "What are you talking about?"
"Three days?! Wow, I should visit you more often, huh?"
Ruby's eyes widened as she shook her head and waved her hands. "Oh, no! No no no. There's uh, there's no need for that."
Why the quick response? Well, ever heard of a kind of person you love and somehow hate at the same time? Yang was the embodiment of that person. Maybe it was because she always hogged the speakers and played the same workout song over and over. Maybe it was because she always borrowed Ruby's earphones and never returned them. Or maybe that's just how every pair of siblings felt about each other.
Love-hate.
Latte? Hove? Whatever.
"Relax, I'm just playing." Yang chuckled, noticing the fear in her eyes. "Am I really that much of a bother?"
Ruby inhaled. "Do you want an honest answer?"
That response gave both of them a good laugh, then Yang playfully bumped her shoulder with her fist. Yup, just regular latte.
Or hove, Ruby still had to think of a better term for it.
"So whatcha working on over there?" Yang pointed curiously at the items sprawled over Ruby's desk. "That a sewing machine or something?"
"It's an air conditioner!" she grumbled. When Yang came for a closer look at the items on her desk, Ruby quietly covered a piece of paper with her hand. "It doesn't even look like a sewing machine, come on."
"Heyyy, nice upgrade, sis!"
"Oh ha-ha, laugh all you want." Ruby sat back on her chair to continue on with her job, slipping the paper under her elbow. "Business hasn't been great, so I opened up requests for small repairs like these. They're like side quests, y'know? And frankly, I think they're more fun than the main quest."
"Uh huh."
"Yuh huh!"
Yang pursed her lips, taking in the sight of her sister's… dumpsite. She really had to consider if visiting without a hazmat was the best idea. There was barely any light coming in through those thick curtains, the place smelled like a gas station bathroom, and she was pretty sure she saw two mama cockroaches playing poker on the way to Ruby's office.
"Is cleaning included in one of your 'side quests', hm?" She cocked an eyebrow.
Ruby groaned. So the workshop was a bit dusty and had pieces of rotten food stuck on the floor. So what? You put up enough air fresheners and the place will feel brand new. And she already made plans of buying a vacuum, like, two minutes ago, so she really was on her way to clean!
One of her biggest pet peeves has always been someone telling her what to do… right after she'd just thought of doing said thing. I guess I'm not doing it anymore, was her brain's one and only response whenever that happened.
"Like your house is any better!" Ruby whined. "Yours smells like a stinky gym."
"I'm literally a professional boxer."
"So? That doesn't give you the right to leave your house smelling like a Hax Body Spray factory!"
Now that was just rude. Yang closed her eyes and nodded to herself with finality. There was a huff, then a pause.
"Did you take a bath today?"
"Yang!" Ruby shot her a look. "Don't you have, I don't know, training with dad today?"
"That"—she snapped her finger and grabbed Ruby's shoulders—"is actually why I came here! I'm here to pick you up. My first exhibition match is tonight, did you forget?"
Ruby glanced up at her room's calendar then down at her phone's reminders.
Yang's Exhibition Match on the 26th!
Ruby bit her lip.
"Saying I 'forgot' is a quick assumption."
"So you did."
"I'm sorry!" Noticing her grumpy frown, Ruby quickly came in for a hug and buried her face in Yang's chest. "Bad sister award goes to me, I know. I just have a lot on my mind recently," she muffled.
"What? No, no, I understand." Yang patted her back and took another look around the office.
The problem wasn't that it was a total mess (well, it was, partially). But the whole place just seemed so… lifeless, which wasn't like Ruby at all. Her room back at home was a bright, cheerful red. She'd picked the same color for her office, but with all the lights blocked off, it appeared as a dreary black, tiresome for any person who had to stay within its walls for long periods of time.
Draining. That's what it felt like.
Coffee mugs everywhere, curtains shut tight. It's like she'd been working until sunrise again. One more thing that really worried her was the long list of crossed out small-time repairs written out on a piece of paper. She'd pretended not to see it when Ruby hid it earlier, but it quickly raised concerns at the back of Yang's head.
How had she been paying for rent with that? Food? Water?
She hugged Ruby close, a sigh escaping her lips. Had she always been this thin? It wasn't like a major change or anything, but it was enough to make Yang feel worried.
She'd already tried offering a bit of help before, but Ruby kept turning her down. And the last time she forced Ruby to accept the gesture, it just...
They were both adults now and Ruby was old enough to make her own decisions, but still. Some part of Yang continued to worry for her, she was still her little sister after all; even if the world was turned upside down, nothing could change that.
This one's purely based on her assumptions, but she just couldn't understand why or how Ruby thought accepting help would make her a burden. If Ruby needed anything, she could just ask. Yang thought maybe by now she'd already know that.
Maybe she still has a bit of growing up to do, she pondered.
Yang rubbed the back of Ruby's head. "So… business hasn't been great, huh?"
"Yeah," Ruby mumbled. "But hey, some girl named Neon said her car broke down a few days ago, so my team brought it here for inspection, and we figured out what was wrong with it. She told us we had to fix it by this weekend, so I have that going for me."
"Hey, that's perfect!" Yang dropped her smile when Ruby frowned at her. "I mean, for you! Not her, obviously. But more importantly, for you!"
Ruby snorted and let go of the hug. It was nice to have Yang popping around to check on her. Very few people did that for Ruby, besides her dad's occasional visits, so it warmed her heart knowing her family cared so much for her even if they didn't live together anymore. Just — maybe Yang could enter in a more peaceful and quiet way next time. Not to mention, giving a heads up.
She glanced down at the paper on her desk, a conflicted smile on her lips.
Ruby would've appreciated that a lot.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Wait, didn't you say you had a match?"
Yang's heart dropped and she stopped mid-laugh. "Shoot, we're gonna be late!" She picked up Ruby's keys from her desk and threw it back at her while making her way out the door. "Close up shop, we'll clean this cavehole of yours together. For now, it's my time to shine."
Yang added emphasis to that last part by doing jazz hands and wiggling her eyebrows.
Ruby rolled her eyes and hollered, "As long as I get to pick the music this time!"
Yang was nowhere to be seen, but she could still hear her response from across the hall. "No way, you're just gonna play The Floors again!"
"I told you, it's The Fours!" Ruby corrected, removing her gloves and turning off the lamp.
"The Forks, whatever!"
Ruby chuckled and shook her head. She was never gonna catch a break from Yang, was she? The way things are right now, maybe she didn't mind the sudden bursts of cheery (and sometimes explosive) aura that came with Yang whenever she walked through the door anymore.
After making sure all the appliances were unplugged and all the windows were locked, Ruby grabbed her jacket and gave her office one last look.
Her gaze lowered. Before her thoughts could wander off like they usually did, she snapped herself out of it, turning the lights off, and finally, closing the door.
Carefully, she pressed her forehead against the door and stuffed her hands in her pockets.
"I'm sorry."
The ride on the way to the venue was short, with Yang blasting 'Eye of the Beowulf' the entire time. It was good motivation, Ruby was just being uncultured. It was a classic! Perfect for any training she had to do and it already became a habit of hers to listen to it before a fight. It got the blood pumping. Most importantly, it got her 'in the zone'.
She pulled up at the venue's parking lot. She was surprised to find a spot, knowing how fast people arrived at her fights once she'd gained her recent popularity. Cars would be scattered around, with thousands of people lining up to get inside and go on a scavenger hunt for the best seats.
Placing the car keys in her pocket, she checked herself on the rear-view mirror and flashed a smile.
"Damn, I am smoking tonight."
Ruby sighed. "Remind me why I have to watch you and another girl fight like it's a rabid battle for the last slice of pizza? Also, we weren't even late!"
"Don't be silly, Billy, you're here for moral support!" Yang shook her shoulders.
"You look like you have all the moral support you need." Ruby teased, making Yang's shoulders slump as she corrected the mirror's position.
She was always so persistent in taking Ruby everywhere with her. It didn't matter if she was slugging it out on the ring or 'taking one for the team' by attempting to fight in one of Vale's top best food eating competitions, Ruby had to be there at all times. Sometimes to enjoy the show, sometimes to be an eyewitness.
It was better not to ask about that last part.
"Nope!" she said. "Can't start a fight without my baby sis."
"Yeah, but you take me to your gym practice, too. And it's just you showing off your abs."
"Yabs," she corrected. "And I take you there cuz you look like you need a break. Also, you might enjoy it one day! Picture this: you and me, sparring on the ring together, eh? Whaddya say, Rubes?"
"I say… you sound just like dad." Ruby shivered at the thought.
It wasn't enough that she had to live with one boxer; she had to live with two. Well, one retired to be a coach, but that didn't lessen the unholy amount of Hax body spray around the house. Ruby swore she could still smell it from her apartment two months after she moved out.
Waving away those memories, Ruby closed her eyes and exhaled. "How about we start the preparations for your match?"
"Any words of wisdom you wanna share before I go?"
Ruby's face softened to a smile as she remembered the routine they formed not too many years ago, back when Yang was still a beginner, a nobody. She raised her hand to bump fists with Yang and gave her a look of determination.
"Bring on the heat."
That was all the encouragement she needed. Upon hearing the magic words, Yang knew what time it was. She opened the door and stepped outside, the cool wind blowing against her hair. Cracking her knuckles, she took in a deep breath and took in the picture of tonight's arena.
People were already starting to form a crowd, journalists were on their way with their cameras and microphones, everything was all set up. They were just waiting for her to make her way there now.
Yang blew into her hands, rubbing them together as she shook the jitters off. Finally, she pulled her hood up and headed to the arena.
Showtime.
The feeling of walking inside never got old. Professional boxer or not, the sight was always so overwhelming. Giant lights were set up, cameras were recording, numerous news reporters were documenting this very event for thousands of other viewers around the world. Everyone was buzzing and hustling about. All of this, just for her. The sight alone made her feel like she could do anything, maybe even live up to the new title the people gave her.
'The Legend'.
She liked the sound of that. Recently, she'd been recognized as being a talented fighter that caught the audience's eyes. She'd started off young, but she'd only been gaining more popularity now, so adjustments were on their way. Not that she had that much difficulty dealing with them. Such was the advantage of being undefeated. She was untouchable.
Not too far from them were Taiyang and Qrow in the middle of a conversation, possibly about tonight's strategy and game plan. Her dad was both her manager and trainer, while her uncle was their handy cornerman.
Qrow had his own workshop just like Ruby's, but he'd been there when they were running low on cash and needed someone to assist them in Yang's fights. Basically, he was in charge of applying first aid and controlling the bleeding whenever Yang's face got a cut in-between each round. Soon, the more they spent time learning and preparing for each fight, the more they became part of a team.
Cracking a smile, she walked up to her dad and poked his shoulder, then nodded towards Ruby.
"Sup? Told ya I'd get her to come."
"Hey, not too bad." Taiyang turned around to give both girls a warm hug. He looked down at his watch. "And it only took you about… twenty minutes this time to convince your sister?"
"Seven," she bragged.
"Impressive," Qrow commented, nudging Taiyang with his elbow. "Who knows? Maybe one day you'll have two professional boxers in the family."
And that was Ruby's cue to shake her head in disagreement. "Weeeell, I'm gonna go look for a seat now."
As she marched off on her own, Qrow and Tai couldn't help but share a laugh as she looked a bit too similar to a moody teenager. It didn't help that the growth spurt that she'd sworn would arrive one day never did.
"A bit cranky tonight?"
Yang waved her uncle off. "No, no. I just think I might've surprised her earlier with the visit, is all."
She scratched the back of her head and let a sigh escape her lips. It wasn't like she wouldn't find out soon anyway. Ruby was a terrible liar. Her eyes tended to wander around whenever Yang asked her how she was. And she always beat around the bush whenever she had to answer a simple question. Moreover, Yang was fully aware that she'd had a habit of putting off chores whenever she was overwhelmed. They didn't live two decades together for nothing.
And she was right! The place was a trainwreck on top of another trainwreck. She'd just wanted to see how she was holding up and make sure Ruby was okay. That wasn't so bad… was it?
Her eyes followed to where Ruby slumped down on a chair and fumbled with her thumbs.
It just hadn't crossed her mind that maybe Ruby didn't want to be seen like that yet… not by Yang, of all people.
"She's worried I might be disappointed in her," Yang concluded, almost in a whisper. "That's actually far from the truth, but I'm sure that's what's bothering her."
Qrow and Tai shared a glance before Tai stepped closer and gave her a reassuring pat.
"Hey." His voice was gentle as his eyes were soft. It was evident right then, he wasn't talking to her as a coach, but as a father. "We'll check on Ruby later, okay? We'll treat her to her favorite ice cream place and tell her everything will be alright."
There was a pause.
"But we should probably order some bug spray on the way, because you already know how many of those little bastards are playing hot potato with her socks back at the shop."
"Gross." Yang snorted and lightly jabbed at him, already picturing that weird scenario in her head. "You're gross."
"What? I'm serious." When his chuckle died down, he gave her hair a good ruffle. "We'll talk things out later. Right now, you have to get your head in the game."
With an exhale that managed to momentarily take away the heavy feeling off her chest, she nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, see you guys in a bit!" were her last words before she headed towards a room where she could change into her outfit and go on with the rest of her preparations.
Somehow, after that talk, she felt reassured. Hope was on the way and it got her practically walking with a bounce in her step. A typical Yang-smile found its way to her lips, radiant and pure. Things will get better. They'll be fine soon.
Maybe then, she'll come back.
Once she met up with the rest of her crew, she had her hair tied into a neat braid, so as to keep it from blocking her view. The hand wraps were provided to ensure the safety of her wrist and knuckles. After a while, her gloves were brought to her, both feeling as light as ever. Bouncing from side to side to get the blood pumping, she threw a few punches in the air.
Eventually, Taiyang and the crew escorted her on the way to the ring, with her never missing a beat and trying to picture her opponent in front of her as she practiced her jabs, left and right. As soon as they reached their station at one corner of the ring, Tai placed a hand on her shoulder, then repeated his usual words of advice.
"Eyes on the prize, make every shot count, and remember," he said, smiling. "Just relax."
"Yeah, yeah. She's got this." Scooching over, Qrow waved his hand dismissively, stealing Yang's attention (and Tai's spotlight). He gave her a quick nod and an encouraging smile. "Go get 'em, firecracker."
With a nod of her own, she stepped into the ring, and the crowd erupted into a loud cheer as they saw her in the spotlight. Different sets of cameras focused on her, their lights a shining red, signalling the start of their recording. Flashes of light came into view, as pictures were taken of her practicing her punches.
From all sides, all she heard were their claps as they chanted her name in a steady beat. The thrill of it all was energizing, much like the feeling a younger version of herself got while watching other boxers on the big screen. Something about the sport just made her feel alive and in the moment. The same applied to everybody else watching. She could tell they were already on the edge of their seats.
Finally, the match was about to begin. The referee gestured for her to step to the center where she faced her opponent. Briefly, he explained a summary of the rules. Tonight's exhibition match meant a total of three rounds, each with three minutes. Their gloves were modified to be slightly bigger than usual, so as to minimize the amount of damage they can do to each other. If either of them sustain a bad cut, then the fight is off. Lastly, he mentioned to both girls that the result would not count in their professional record.
When they both nodded, he stepped back and the boxing announcer came in, bringing a microphone up to his lips. "Good evening, Vale Sunset Arena!" His voice bellowed out, catching everyone's attention.
"Welcome to tonight's main event: a boxing match between two new rising contestants! In the red corner, weighing at 147 pounds, coming from the small island of Patch, give it up for the legendary Golden Dragon, YANG XIAO LOOOONG!" He turned to her as she raised her fists and smiled at the audience. Once the crowd settled down, he faced the other way.
"And in the blue corner, weighing at 145 pounds, straight from the island of Menagerie, please give a round of applause for the astounding Shadow Boxer, BLAKE BELLADONNAAAA!"
Her opponent simply raised her fist, amber eyes still trained on Yang. She seemed disconnected from the rest of the people, only silently focusing on her jabs as she slid from side to side, almost as if she couldn't risk breaking her concentration, like she'd been waiting for this fight her whole life.
Her getup was entirely black, save for the silver zippers on her boots and purple accents on her gloves and boots. Wrapped around her shorts were plain-white boxing skirt trunks that were also purple from beneath. There was a symbol on her belt that was reminiscent of a deadly nightshade.
From any viewer's standpoint, they were complete opposites. Blake was a heavy contrast to Yang's flashy outfit. Bright yellow highlighted the bottom and the cuffs of her gloves. She was a balanced mixture of yellows, browns and oranges, with a flame symbol on her chest and two purple handkerchiefs wrapped around her arm and leg.
As a final touch, her belt was engraved with a single word written in kanji.
Dragon.
Ding went the bell as the announcer shouted, "Round one!" Then, away he and the referee went to give the fighters their space.
The first to come forward was Yang, keeping her head low and safe behind her gloves. She thought to test new waters, throwing a basic left jab at Blake, but she was too fast. She'd evaded the punch completely and countered, striking Yang right in the cheek, almost making her face the other direction.
Stepping back, Yang huffed.
Smart girl. A fast one, too. She was shifty in a way that almost seemed like dancing. Yang could hardly get a punch in without earning two for herself. She couldn't help but smile. It wouldn't be interesting if she always faced the easy ones, now would it? And Yang always loved a challenge.
When Blake got a bit too close, that's when Yang scored a blow on her face. She felt the impact on her fist, sending Blake stumbling backwards. She took her opportunity and struck a combination. One on the stomach, one on the chin. But once she got too eager, the tables turned.
Successfully avoiding Yang's incoming attack with a duck, Blake managed to throw a wild left on her unguarded stomach, knocking the air out of her. Without waiting a second, she aimed for Yang's head, throwing a combination of heavy punches left and right. Her opponent was left with no choice but to shield herself behind her gloves.
One last punch, and the bell rang. Round one was over, with Blake taking the lead. Both fighters sat on their corners. Yang huffed and blinked away the sweat from her eyes. Quickly, her crew came to check on her.
"How are you holding up?" Tai asked while Qrow offered her some water. "She's one of those out-boxers. Real fast, deals damage once they get you overwhelmed. Don't let her corner you."
Yang swished the water around her mouth then spat the rest, taking in Tai's words and returning to the fight when she heard the bell.
Her breathing was heavy and she'd already worked up a good amount of sweat. Initially, she hadn't expected to reach this state in the first round. It just meant she had to be more careful this time around. She couldn't risk getting a beating like that again.
This time, Blake was the first to approach, still sliding left and right. Yang went for a jab, forcing her to duck. And when she did, she already knew what Blake was planning. Before Blake could throw a punch, Yang moved out of the way and counterattacked with a powerful blow right between the ribcage. She stepped away and raised her fists in a defense position before Blake could recover.
Don't get too confident now.
For now, Blake watched from a safe distance, almost as if she was trying to predict Yang's next moves. It was for the best if she didn't want to get pummelled. As of now, both were aware of each other's strength and had to be cautious.
Once she'd collected her breath, Yang was ready to get into the action again. Charging forward, she swung at Blake, hitting her hard. One punch after the other, but her defense remained firm as she stood her ground.
Yang could barely aim for a good punch, but she kept them coming until Blake backed up and stumbled on to the ropes. From then on, it was like punching a sandbag. She exhaled after each blow to guard her body if ever Blake was planning a surprise attack.
She then stepped back to catch a break. Her chest heaved as she struggled to control her breathing. Blake seemed to be doing the same, keeping herself in a defense position the entire time. Now that Yang felt a bit refreshed, she rushed in and aimed for a quick uppercut between Blake's gloves.
She swung, carrying as much force as she could into the punch, but at the last second, Blake moved out of the way and hit a right. When Yang turned to face her, all she saw was a glove coming her way. There was no time to dodge a bullet as her fist was, quick and deadly. When the punch collided with her nose, tears formed in her eyes, limiting her vision. It stung, making her feel as though the rest of her face was on fire. Two more punches straight to her stomach, and this time, she was the one on the ropes.
Luckily for her, before Blake could deal another blow, the bell rang.
She slumped down on her corner, Tai and Qrow checking on the damage Blake did to her nose. It wasn't bleeding, but receiving a punch square on the nose was never good; it stung in a way that left a fighter's eyes watery and it took minimum effort to break it. Not to mention the headache that came along with it.
Disoriented, Yang was barely able to balance herself as she walked back to the center, starting the final round. Currently, things didn't look too good for her, but as she recalled the previous round, Blake sustained a lot of bad hits too. On the other hand, Yang was still hanging in there. It was only a matter of time before she could take Blake down, once and for all.
This was the final round. No more games.
As soon as Blake made the slightest sign of motion, Yang avoided her fist. Eyebrows furrowed, she blinked away the tears and focused on her opponent. That was a close one.
Breathing in and out, her eyes were trained on Blake no matter which direction she went for.
Her lips quivered. She felt her throat dry as sandpaper. Was she afraid? No, she didn't like to think of it that way. But she had every reason to be.
There was pressure in the word 'undefeated'. It meant a lot of things. One of them being strength. That's where Yang mainly got her drive for her fights. That was her go-to for motivation. She can't lose. It just wasn't an option. Maybe it was for others, but it wasn't for her.
Not when her mother might've been finally watching.
The instant Yang felt a shiver, she ducked, narrowly missing a right hook from Blake.
"Yang, just relax!" her dad shouted from her corner.
But it was too late for that.
There was no strength, no fire. She was on attack-mode, but it was triggered by panic. She threw punches left and right, not considering how far Blake was from her reach. None of her punches collided with Blake, and even if they did, they just grazed her. She was going full-effort gaining zero results. Sweat trickled down her forehead with her muscles on fire. At this point, her opponent was toying with her, trying to see how long she could hold up before she snapped.
A wrong step and Blake was already there, ready to strike.
Then, it was as if a lightbulb went on in Yang's head.
When Yang took a step to the right, Blake followed with a jab. She'd missed when Yang took a side step, and countered with a slam to her face.
Blake was getting eager, a bit too eager. Perhaps she wanted to end the fight quickly because it wasn't just Yang who was growing exhausted.
Yang grinned.
Not on her watch.
She slammed a direct hit to the chest when Blake had her guard down. She'd lost her balance and Yang took that as her opportunity to smash a right uppercut through her gloves. She sent Blake stumbling all the way back to the ropes. Each powerful blow she gave, seeking to end the match.
By now, she was glistening in sweat and nearly out of breath. Blake had done a number on her earlier, especially with that hit on the nose. If Blake wasn't going down anytime soon, she was worried about what would come for her once she reached fatigue.
That wasn't too long from now.
When Blake avoided her last punch, Yang staggered forward, her body following the motion of her fist. She was left hanging on the ropes, her arms aching and sore from her array of punches.
Turning around, she saw Blake in front of her, still in a guarded position. After all the hits she'd taken, behind her gloves, she looked the same as she did in the previous round. She was still shifting from side to side, making it hard for Yang to place a proper strike.
But time was running out. Without hesitation, Yang lunged forward, carrying the last bit of her strength into a single punch. Even her body devoted itself to the motion, so in a way, it was like watching herself get carried closer and closer to her opponent. At that moment, she could hear her unmistakable heartbeat in her ears. She can't miss, she can't miss.
But she did.
Against her luck, she came half a second late. One wrong move and it gave her opponent enough time to dodge and send a proper counterattack. Before Yang could shield herself, she saw Blake look up at her with a composed smile and what seemed to be a playful wink. She pulled her fist close to her body, like she would to perform a sharp punch.
For a split-second, confused lilacs met amber, then it was Blake's fist she encountered, straight on the face.
The impact forced her to crash down on her back. Hard. Not only that, but her weight, along with the speed of the fall, added injury to her spine and the back of her head.
All she could see from her point of view were afterimages of her opponent, still bouncing on the tips of her toes, ready for action. And all that was left for her to feel was the pain radiating from her skull. She closed her eyes and succumbed to the peace offered to her by the darkness.
There was someone next to her starting a count.
All around her, the crowd showed their frustration through a mixture of enraged yells and stomps on the floor. But nobody could've been more frustrated with Yang than herself. She blinked open her eye, soft lilac glistening with a single tear.
Nothing in the world could've prepared anyone for this.
Nothing.
When legends fall.