Love Struck Delusion

Chapter 229 - When do we stop them?

Pepper's POV.

I was ready for a second go and by the looks of things so was he. However he lowered his stance and was waiting for me to make the first move. I knew his game plan before he even could really think of it himself. He was going to bait me in and try to counter whatever I threw. I've fought others like that and it's usually what happens after they get dropped their first time by someone like me. They talk a big game and look at me like I'm just a pretty flower. Now his eyes were doing nothing but questioning my next move. I was planning to jump on him in a few more seconds, but I stopped and gave him a very small smirk. Lowering my arms, I began to undo my gloves. His body remained at the ready as I announced.

"Let's get a little more physical." Raptor's eyes looked to my claws as they came out once I had both of the gloves out of the way. Then I went to my belt. It was nothing more than a simple click that got it off. Gently I tossed it out of the way towards the other side of the mat where the rest of my gear was. I was in the right frame of mind to do this now. I just got a good feel for his speed right there and now I know I can completely dominate him. Losing some of the weight was going to help me move faster and to be honest I just wanted to get my claws on him now that I knew he was scared.

Once I was ready I looked back at the hedgehog to ask.

"Are you sure you want to keep going?"

His anger was spiking now. He just growled and got even lower for the takedown he had in mind. I just chuckled to myself as I got back in stance. I gave my neck one more good crack and for a second found pleasure in this. The venom being fully in my control is not normally a combat stance I take. I haven't used it for months like this. Not to fight. It was more used for healing in my time apart from the army. However this was an exception and it felt right. I knew the plan and I could feel my body jittering for contact with another. I understand why Zeta can't be perfect. The heat is just too much at times like this. Giving Raptor one more smile, I took all that heat and brought it into focus and ran at him the short distance across the mat. His eyes widened at the speed. I knew I came in like a bolt of lightning and when I slammed another hook into the right side of his head and he bent back was when I began to tee off further.

I heard the crowd who watched all revel in this. Raptor couldn't keep up with my flurry. Jab, jab, jab, hook, uppercut, jab. Then another jab. By this point I had him backing up and just starting to defend. As his arms went to cover up, I took control over his shoulders holding him still. Using all I had I came up into his stomach with my left knee. I felt his ribs shatter and to be honest I was for a second stunned by it. I had little control over the power I used to hit him with. I was more focused on the speed so he couldn't defend, but then I remembered what this was about and took that as my chance to go for the second takedown.

Bent halfway into my body by that point, I got a hold of his vest once more wrapping both my palms into the part where his shoulders would be. Using my strength, I pulled back with all I had and lifted him right over my body. It was a suplex at the end of the day and one he was not ready for. I was never known to go easy. The force I slammed him with the first time was nothing compared to when I used my whole body. The mat itself rang off with such a smack it clouded my ears as I was of course brought down with him. The plan was to get up as fast as possible and shout out the number two before he could figure out what happened, but my body stopped moving when all the sudden instead of being without wind, he reached back when he hit the mat to grab onto my head. I felt his claws go for my ears and doing my best I remained down but tossed myself over to my frontside. In a panic, I grunted as his claws began to dig.

"Aghh! Let go!"

He had no intent to let go of me. Sensing that he had some fight left in him drove me wild. I couldn't shake off his grip over my ears so using my right arm, I slammed my elbow across the top of his forehead with all I had. You could hear his skin being broken open when it happened and for a moment he let go, but resorted to grabbing my orange hair that was just in front of my right eye. Once he got a grip he pulled me back in. I saw his teeth had blood on them and without mercy he pulled one more time. This time it was with so much power I slipped off my knees and came down over his chest as he remained on his back. From the pain alone of my hair being yanked so hard, I shouted as I came down.

"You fucking…..!?" I couldn't finish my sentence because before my third word was allowed out he had let go of my hair and wrapped both arms around the complete back of my neck and began to squeeze. All the air in my body left the second it happened and all I could do was widen my eyes and begin to struggle. It was so much pressure I felt like he was trying to snap my neck. In fact I began to worry that was the idea and began to battle myself back. I gave it all my might to shake and move and for what I could I managed to roll us over. Raptor however was now on his knees and had full position now to choke me. I swung my fists up at him a few times and hit him in the face but the look he was giving me really convinced me he was going for a kill right now. I felt my body letting go for a second and then decided to use what I had left to roll my legs up to my head. Raptor was caught completely off guard by the sudden change and was left open to both my knees hitting him right in the front of the nose. His grip broke as he fell back and instead of screaming at him for trying to kill me; I just scrambled up and jumped back on him giving him another elbow across the cheek as I did it.

Blood splashed the mat after leaving his mouth and with no remorse for playing nice, I focused on getting a hold of my own now. Forcing his body up just enough, I got his back and began to take control over his arms. I wrapped them behind his head and got both my hands locked while choking his neck downward into his own chest. I was legitimately growling into his ears now. I wanted to kill him. That was my focus as I got both my legs wrapped around his body to increase the hold. However he somehow had it in him to roll over and back to his hands and knees. Then he stood up with me clung to his back still choking with all I had.

The crowd was screaming his name as I felt my claws break skin. When blood could be felt on my fingers; was the same exact moment he used all he had to slam me down. He just went backwards and I felt my whole body break. I lost my grip instantly because my brain might have actually shut off for a few seconds. By the time I came back around he was getting back on his feet with a hand to his throat where my claws had broken skin. He was indeed bleeding but without any sign of care for himself, he shouted at me as I was laid out like a ragdoll.

"One!"

"Does that mean I have two?" I had to wonder to myself as I struggled to get back up. Was he counting the suplex or was this based off of pure knockdowns? I think it was the knockdowns. Moments where we can't actually just get back up. Like this for me.

As I got around to standing again, I coughed up some of my own blood and took a glance to my side. I felt like he broke a few ribs when he slammed me just then. However the venom was numbing the pain at this point. Spitting some of his own out onto the mat Raptor asked me in anger.

"You want to really fucking try and fight me? You want to try and kill me?"

I was just as heated as him and replied while fixing my hair.

"You choked me first asshole."

Raptor smiled and nodded and gave me back this statement.

"I just thought this was going to be easy. A little harder than Zeta, but you really know how to surprise me. I'm not losing this. No fucking way."

Giving him another growl I replied.

"I've just been waiting to prove you wrong. To put you in your fucking place. You talk a big game and you got a right too. But you aren't the better fighter. I am and I'll do whatever I have to. You're not winning this."

Showing me his hand which had more than a fair bit of blood on it from the cuts I left, he then stated.

"Well clearly we don't care for each other's well being to get what we want. So how about we just shut up and keep going?"

Raptor was ready to really be my enemy. I was ready to be his. However I knew I was still better. So looking him right in the eyes I replied.

"Yeah…...let's."

I came at him again but this time with a mix of jabs and hooks. But this time he was ready and he began to dodge away. Once he had me going on my forth miss he sent an uppercut to my lower lip and I stepped a foot back to see a hook of his own hit me right in the right eye. The power brought me almost off my feet, but being stubborn I sent an uppercut of my own hitting him square in the jaw. Then came another set of jabs which all hit somewhere in his chest and face. By the time I had regained a foothold, I saw his direction change and he went for a takedown by going to my waist. When he wrapped up my sides, I began to slam elbows down onto his back. His kevlar plate could be heard ringing off as he was soon without power to hold on. So he had to let go and match my height again for another battle of trades. He got me with two more jabs before I started to ring off with a flurry of my own. When my sixth got him to wobble, I decided to go for it again and spin around for another headkick. This time however he wasn't able to block it and I felt every fiber of my boot hit him in the top of his skull. His whole body dropped back and I spun around just in time to see him hit the mat almost out cold.

"Two!" I yelled at him as I stumbled back to catch my breath.

This would be over if he counted the suplex, but fuck it. He wasn't moving for a few seconds. I thought I might have really knocked him out, but in time he barely managed to roll over to his side. When he managed to look up I saw I busted his head wide open. Blood was pouring down his face and that got people worried. In seconds you heard that doctor friend of his who had been watching scream.

"Stop the fight!"

He came jogging onto the mat as Raptor just barely managed to get on a knee. With Marx coming right down to get a look for himself, Raptor had already begun to heal on his own thanks to his power. The blood was all still there but the gash was gone as the cat was soon pushed away by a more than aware Raptor who grunted through blood soaked teeth.

"I'm…..I'm fine Marx! Just….just….just let me…?"

I remained where I was as it was clear I had rattled his brains. Raptor was just about on his way to checking out. I was concerned he was about to pass out there and then, but his focus found me one more time to state.

"That's…...that's enough of that. I'm done holding back."

I was legit worried now. Marx was worried and so was the crowd. I wanted to win but at the same time I knew he was finished. He just took a steel toed boot to the side of his head. He's not thinking right. Unsure of what to do, I urged him while still catching my breath.

"We don't have to keep going. We should stop before this gets any worse."

Shaking his head he replied.

"Fuck you. I'm not giving up. Not yet."

Marx was just as worried now as Raptor looked to barely be standing. Trying to come back on the mat, he urged Raptor who was locked on to my eyes.

"Please Raptor just stop. You aren't well. You need to rest."

Raptor was now silent and getting ready to pounce. The cat backed up as it was clear we were going to keep going. Then came Raptor who was much slower then before with his attacks.

I dodged easily and I think that made him even madder because he just started to throw more and more. What caught me by surprise was that he started to throw kicks. I got one right to my knee and it's not like he was barefoot. He had boots much like mine and when the steel hit my bone I had fumbled over in pain. It was enough to give him an opening to try and take me down again. So he went right for my back getting a strong hold over both my arms so I couldn't throw any more downward elbows. Unsure of what his game plan was, I started to throw my head back at him. He got one to his nose but immediately decided enough was enough and threw me down to the mat. I got up as fast as I could but widened my eyes when he came close to reach for my neck. Unsure of what else I could do, I decided to throw another hook, but with all my remaining power left in it. He wasn't prepared and I watched as my fist came right across his face to pass through. For a second I lost control because I was expecting it to hit, but he cheated and no one really saw what happened because it happened so fast. Once I missed however he took the chance and grabbed me by the neck. At first I choked on my own spit and with no care towards me he pulled me in and wrapped both his legs around my body.

All I could do was struggle but for some reason he was stronger then before. I couldn't breathe and my throat felt crushed as the pressure was becoming too much to handle. I could hear him grunting as he gave it his all. I hated to do this but I had no other way out. Bringing up my hand I began to tap out by rapidly hitting his arm. I expected him to let go but he just kept going as I began to panic for my life. Marx began to yell at him but it wasn't until Cody got involved that he actually listened and decided to let me go. I was choking for my life and once he had released me I had rolled a few feet away to gag. Raptor on the other hand got up on his knees to shout.

"Two!"

I widened my eyes as Cody got down next to me to reply.

"Hey chill out for a minute man! She isn't even breathing right!"

Raptor was still there enough to understand what that meant and proceeded to remain where he was as Marx came in to start checking his injuries. Cody however kept alongside me and asked as I managed to get a hold over myself.

"You okay?"

I nodded but continued to struggle to breathe. Looking over to Raptor, I gave him this glare that I'm sure he could read. He cheated and he fucking knew very well he did. Slowly I stood up and urged him as I readied my stance.

"Get up. We ain't finished."

Marx widened his eyes as Cody replied.

"I think you two made your points. No need to drag this on any further."

"I got this Irish." I told him as he looked to Raptor who still barely managed to stand. Once on his feet he added.

"Yeah. Let's just get this over with."

With the boys leaving the mat, Raptor and I who were almost both out of energy went at it one last time. Trading shot for shot and each time getting slower and slower. My venom was nearing its end and I knew I had nothing in the tank to help out after it reached its end. I'd have to take a chance.

Raptor was just as slow as I was and throwing all caution to the wind I attempted one more head kick. But this time I didn't spin. I just sent my right leg straight up. A front kick by all terms and Raptor wasn't ready for it. I hit him right on the button and everyone watched as his eyes opened up in complete disarray for what had just happened. Stumbling in place and waiting till his guard dropped, I gave it all I had and hooked him one last time on the side of the head. I saw his lights go out with it and everyone who watched went silent as he toppled over to the side and hit the mat one final time face first. The cat jumped at the chance to help and got down just as he had finished landing. Raptor was unconscious and I knew it that time to be true. Looking to my bloody knuckles, I took one last good breath and groaned over the pain I was in.

"Three!"

Marx looked up to me in shock still that it was over. I nodded to myself and stepped back towards my gear to sit down. Cody came to my aid as I knew I was fucked up from that fight. Fixing my hair once more, I listened as he said with a chuckle to my face.

"Holy shit you knocked him out. You okay?"

I nodded as I felt my ribs and replied.

"Yeah I'm okay. That was fun."

Cody started to laugh as Raptor was just starting to wake up. Marx begged him to remain where he was and I think Raptor knew he was in no shape to argue as our eyes crossed. I was still trying to breathe at that point and once he had confirmed I was okay, I smiled and began to chuckle. He shut his eyes as he heard me and from that point on the focus was on making sure he was okay. Marx spent a hefty five or so minutes just getting him cleaned up. Once I started to get back on my gear did he state to the hedgehog.

"You need to rest Raptor. Let's get you inside. You can take a nap."

"Okay….?" He replied as the focus switched back to me.

Marx came on over to ask.

"Is anything broke?"

Nodding I replied.

"A rib or two I think, but I'll recover in a few hours once my venom comes back around."

In confusion the cat asked.

"Are you a user?"

I nodded and replied.

"One of the best. If that wasn't made clear enough for ya. Out of the way now cat. I still have a job to do." Everyone including Raptor gave me a confused look as I got back up and proceeded to walk over to the man I just knocked out in front of his men. I slipped on my mask but kept it up for a second to order Cody who just laughed.

"Go make yourself useful."

He knew I was joking as I took over for Raptor's guiding light. Getting under his arm and helping him walk off the mat, I listened as Marx asked in utter confusion still.

"Aren't you two mad at each other? That wasn't really a friendly sparring match we just watched."

Getting back down my mask, I looked back at the cat to reply.

"I'm not mad. Are you mad?" The question was directed to Raptor who calmly replied.

"Nope."

"See?" I then asked the doc as we left for the capital's front door. Everyone watched as I helped him inside and up the stairs to his room. Once there he gently pushed off from needing my help. However I couldn't help but smile under this mask as he opened the door to his room and looked back at me to whimper in a lack of better words.

"You're the better fighter."

Cocking my head at him, I questioned with some sass.

"That's a fancy way of saying you got your ass kicked and your sorry."

Raptor gave me this long huff for what seemed like three seconds before replying back.

"You won that one, but I know I can beat you."

He attempted to walk in without me, so as he finished that I reached down to grab his small tail. The man looked back at me with a new look. One that was asking me why was I touching his tail? However I'm the smartass so I asked him back.

"Without cheating?"

The look changed as he remembered he had. Now looking at me with some regret he replied.

"I got a little too invested after the first takedown. I'm sorry. Let go of my tail please." He then begged as I reached up to lift my mask back off. Our eyes locked as I told him in a whisper.

"I have probably two broken ribs. I'll let go of this tail once you take responsibility."

He knew what I meant and I saw his body go limp. He gave up being smart and just replied.

"Okay. Shut the door though."

Letting his tail go and shutting the door behind us, I watched as he guided me to the bed. It was perfectly made and for once I questioned where I was. The room was actually cold and I realized it just as I sat down with him.

Sensing my thoughts, he told me as he grabbed my mask from off my head.

"Perks of being an officer. Can't afford air conditioners for everyone."

I just smiled as he wrapped his hands around my chest. If my armor was missing he'd be groping my tits at this point. I felt his hands go warm and it felt like someone hit me with a cup of hot water. It came in that fast. I lost my ability to breathe as he told me in a whisper.

"Three ribs. Sorry."

"Fuck you." I groaned as I could feel what he was doing. It took only two minutes for him to finish and by now I wasn't as shocked as the first time he healed me. I was at a loss for what to say next. Nothing else really came to me as he brought his hands down to rest on my legs. For a moment I stared into his face and very slowly he asked.

"Do you need anything else or can I rest?"

I just bit the bullet in that moment and leaned in to take his lips. He was stunned for maybe a few seconds, then he started to kiss back. I pulled an inch off his lips to tell him.

"Just that."

Fucking god damn it if I wasn't falling for this guy. I didn't know what it was about. Was I doing this because I knew he was a god and I just wanted that kind of person always at my back? Or was it because I was still the jealous type? Zeta always had a knack for finding the best guys and damn it if this wasn't another one of those moments. I'm sure she doesn't mind me taking over why she's out.

I forced Raptor to keep on kissing and soon enough I decided to disconnect and lay down. The hedgehog took a moment to wipe his lips and once done he looked back at me to chuckle.

"I think she might mind a little."

It was an instant. I jumped on him in a matter of a second to shout.

"Stop that!"

Raptor fell back to the bed and replied while I clawed his wrists together.

"I'm sorry!"

mT Shadow.