Finally, the last event of the Pain Games was upon them. After 8 gruelling games, the end was upon them. All things considered, Mick actually did quite well, granted he may have flopped in some of the games, but he more than made up for it in the following one. Now the last 30 competitors were all lined up, the rest having already been booted from the competition or had to drop out due to injury. According to the scoreboard, the number of points Mick gained earned him the position of 6th place, while Granny Magma was in fourth. After her, were two more Imps whose names Mick didn't recognise, followed by Striker and Blitzo apparently tying for first. The only other names Mick recognised on the board were Moxxie, who only just managed to scrape by in 30th place… and Scorch in 29th.
Tilting his gaze over to the smirking, big-chinned Imp lighting up a cigarette as he took a moment to relax after the last game, Mick couldn't help but wonder what the A-hole was playing at. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that Scorch wasn't even TRYING to get a good score… then again, given what he was told, Mick suspected that wasn't remotely close to his true objective. If he and his lackeys were going to try anything, it was going to be in this final event… the Mud Brawl.
From their seats in the stands, Ember, Loona and the kids waited in anticipation, riddled with a wave of worry.
"Looks like we called it, Loo Loo," Ember pointed out, keeping her gaze both on Mick and the big-chinned fucker standing a few yards away. "All these games and neither Scorch nor his buddy have tried anything yet."
"Poor Mick," Chimp spoke up. "He looks so exhausted."
Seeing the Cat Demon down below, everyone else fully agreed. After the last few games, Mick had somehow begun to sweat through his fur, which was accompanied by a series of heavy breathing… though that might have just been a side effect of all the smoking he does.
"You think he'll be alright for the last game?" Loona asked, her usual indifferent tone switched out for one filled with concern.
"I hope so," Ember sighed. "They usually save the Mud Brawl for last because the Imps around here wanna test their endurance during these games. The more tired you are, the less likely y'all are gonna win."
Needless to say, no one liked the sound of that, especially Snowflake, who whimpered into Loona's lap.
"Well, at least he'll do better than fat-ass down there," Loona chuckled trying to lighten the mood as she pointed down at Moxxie, who looked even worse than Mick did as he braced himself on a fence post to keep himself from collapsing.
As luck would have it, Loona's joke did get a few small laughs from the kids.
"Yeah, I'm surprised he's still even IN the games," Chimp agreed with a chuckle.
"Dang idiot must have been shaken up more times than a ragdoll down there," Champ added.
"Hehehe, funny man!" Chomp giggled, pointing at Moxxie with a mocking finger.
As much as she didn't like to ridicule people, even Ember couldn't help but snort in amusement.
"Yeah, I can't help but feel sorry for the little guy," she admitted, only to receive another cackle from the Hellhound sitting by her.
"I'm not," Loona retorted surprisingly quickly. "Trust me, I work with the guy and I can tell you, he's been through a LOT worse than this… probably."
Ember didn't know which surprised her more, the fact that it was Loona's coworker down there or the fact that she was openly mocking him without shame. Either way, she thought it best not to question the matter. Suddenly, her train of thought was cut short when she felt a little paw scratch up against her bare leg.
"Huh?" she uttered, surprisingly looking down at Snowflake after she had jumped down from Loona's lap. "What is it, girl?"
In response, Snowflake gave a small yip and pointed her muzzle back down to the crowd. When Ember followed the Kitsune pup's line of sight, she was surprised to see Scorch making his way through the crowd before stopping to talk to Gnat. She obviously couldn't pick up what they were saying, given how Scorch was whispering into Gnat's ear so even the Imps passing by couldn't hear, but whatever they were talking about couldn't be good. What made things even more concerning was when Gnat limped away with a sickening grin on his face, causing Snowflake to start frantically scratching at Ember's leg again.
"What's with her?" Loona asked, curious about the tiny fox's sudden change in behaviour.
"Uh… probably just needs a quick potty run," Ember replied, quickly scooping the pup up. "I'll just take her somewhere and we'll be right back."
"You sure?" Chimp asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, it'll be fine," Ember insisted, quickly turning and making her way down the stands. "Just be sure to keep your eye on Scorch in case something happens, 'kay?"
Ember really hated lying to everyone's faces like that. However, it was the only way to avoid suspicion. If Scorch noticed Mick's entire fan base suddenly disappear from the stands, he'd immediately get wary and probably try something other than what he originally planned. Better to have just the one disappear instead. Besides, for the moment it was GNAT that she and Snowflake had to keep an eye on. Whatever Scorch whispered into his ear earlier… it must have had something to do with their little scheme… and Ember, sure as hell wasn't going to let him get the chance to do it.
Meanwhile, Mick continued to catch his breath, resting himself against a wooden fence with Granny as he mentally prepared himself for the final event.
"Fuck me," he gasped, his breath still heavy from the last game. "You actually do this shit every year?"
Granny, of course, couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Eeyup," she said with pride. "And every year you can either get better or worse. You seem to be holding your own pretty well for your first time though."
"I should bloody well hope so," Mick replied, suddenly raising his left hand to his mask and scratching at its surface. "Don't know how much longer I can hold out."
Seeing the Cat Demon aimlessly try to scratch at his face like that, Granny couldn't help but feel a little concerned. Whether it was nerves or something else entirely, the display of it was enough to make her uneasy.
"You okay?" she asked, snapping Mick back to reality.
Quickly realizing what he was doing, the Sinner quickly shot his hand down in embarrassment.
"Y-yeah, sorry," he said awkwardly. "Haven't had a joint since this morning. My face kinda flares up if I don't smoke the stuff regularly."
She had suspected as much. In all honesty, Granny did wonder why Mick wore his mask all the time, so much so that she asked him straight out when he first arrived in the Snakeskin Saloon. Of course, all he said in response was that he was injured a few years back… but what kind of injury could a Demon get that still causes pain years later?
"Do you wanna light one up now?" Granny soon asked, only for Mick to shake his head.
"Don't have much left," he explained. "I've been trying to use them sparingly for the last day and a half, but I'm down to my last 4… kinda regret not stocking up now."
Hearing that, Granny couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor Sinner. Sure, she was tough, but she wasn't heartless. With a smile on her face, she then reached into her front pocket and pulled out a small hip flask before offering it to the Cat Demon.
"Here, this'll help," she said, much to Mick's surprise.
Seeing no reason to distrust Granny's intentions, Mick gladly accepted the flask without question.
"Thanks," he said before removing his mouthpiece and taking a swig… only to feel a burning sensation in his throat that caused him to spit it back out. "Urk! What the fuck!? This is whiskey!"
Granny, of course, found herself unable to hold back her laughter at that.
"Sorry, should have warned ya," she chuckled. "But trust me, you're gonna need it for this last event."
Hearing that, Mick's moment of irritation was replaced with concern.
"Is it really that bad?" he asked, receiving a nod from Granny in response.
"Well, lemme put it this way," she said. "Every time the Pain Games get underway, most years usually end with at least a few broken limbs… and all from THIS particular event."
Mick immediately grimaced and gulped at that.
"But I wouldn't worry too much, sugar," Granny continued. "From what I've seen, YOU will be the one breaking those limbs and standing over everyone like a champion… well, next to me, of course."
At those words, Mick let out a small laugh. If there was one thing he could count on, it was for Granny Magma to lighten the mood.
"Thanks, Granny," Mick said gratefully before letting out a small sigh. "Not really sure about my chances of winning these games though. Not in the place I'm in."
"Bah, I wouldn't worry about it too much," Granny reassured him. "I mean, hey, at least you're still having fun, right?"
Once again, Mick had to hold back a laugh.
"Well, I won't deny that," he admitted. "Plus, what other Sinner could say they've participated in the Pain Games, right?"
"Couldn't have put it better myself, sonny,"
At that sudden, yet familiar sound of a new voice in the conversation, Mick and Granny turned to see two particular Imps walking up to them… two Imps that, though only knowing them briefly, Mick recognised immediately.
"Lin! Jo!" Mick greeted, gladly welcoming the two. "Hey, how're you doing?"
Hearing that, Jo let out a small light-hearted chuckle.
"Can't complain," he said. "Though from what we witnessed, I'd say you're doing pretty well yourself."
"The whole family has been watching y'all through the games," Lin added, her lips curled into a grin. "We've even started a pool to see how far you'll get."
Mick was immediately surprised at that.
"You don't say," he said, not sure whether to feel flattered or anxious.
"Sallie May's betting on y'all to win, of course," Lin continued, much to Mick's further surprise before her face turned sour for a brief moment. "Which is more than I can say about our son-in-law."
Following the direction Lin was pointing her thumb, Mick found himself surprised yet again when he ended up looking at a certain Imp currently in last place. MOXXIE was Lin and Jo's son-in-law!? And by the looks of it, it was one of those relationships where the parents didn't approve. Taking that into account, Mick chose not to say anything else on the subject. Probably best to stay away from that particular garbage fire. Thankfully Granny was there to help change the subject.
"Well, I ain't that surprised Mick here's a favourite in these games," she said with a smirk. "Gotta say, Lin, I have to thank y'all for sending him over. Only been here a short while and he's already made things more exciting 'round here."
At those words, Lin gave Granny a delighted smile.
"We knew you'd like him," she replied. "As far as we know, the kid's tougher than many of these other clowns."
"Thanks, Lin," Mick spoke up, feeling a little more perked up from the ego boost.
Suddenly, Wally Wackford's distinctive voice once again rang through the speakers.
"I say, I say, all remaining competitors to the Mud Ring!" he called out. "Only another 10 minutes till the final event of the Pain Games!"
Hearing that, both Lin and Jo began making their way back to the stands.
"Rough 'em up, boy!" Jo called back to the Sinner as he and his wife walked away. "We're rooting for ya!"
Watching the two of them walk away, Mick couldn't help but let out a small sigh, his anxiety quickly winning over any excitement he may have had.
"Fuck it," he muttered, taking a few sharp gulps of Granny's whisky.
Shortly after that, Mick found himself standing on the edge of the Mud Ring. As the name implies it was a large circle of goopy mud that went up to everyone's ankles, surrounded by a sturdy wooden fence that served as the barrier. Had it been a little more elevated from the ground, one could argue that it looked like a rustic wrestling ring… which given what was about to happen, may have been a more accurate description than one might think.
"Welcome to the final event of the Pain Games folks!" Wackford announced as he casually strolled across the top of the fence like a cat with the mic in his hand. "Y'all know it! Y'all love it! The MUD BRAAAAAAAAAAAWL!"
With those two small words, everyone in the stands was in an uproar. It appeared that out of all the Pain Games so far, this was certainly the crowd favourite.
"As most of y'all know, this here game is a free-for-all brawl to the finish!" Wackford continued. "For the 30 competitors remaining, the objective is to stay in the fight as long as possible. As each of these suckers falls, the points the rest gain increase. Whoever earns the top spot gets a whoppin' 30 points!"
Hearing that, Mick found himself completely speechless. By those calculations, if he were to win this particular event, he might just be able to gain the top spot on the scoreboard! This was it then… the final event, and the final hurdle he needed to cross to win it all. He can practically feel his Rosario back in his palm already.
"I tell ya folks, this here's been one hell of a day," Wackford carried on. "We've seen bloodshed, we've seen carnage, hell, we've seen a man get mauled by a shark more times than should be possible. Now here they are, the final 30!"
Once again, the crowd roared in excitement.
"We have crowd favourites like our own Granny Magma! Striker! Brutas! And even the newcomers Blitzo! Jackie-Lynn! And internet celebrity… CRAZY CAT!"
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Mick exclaimed in exasperation, even as the crowd cheered for him. Seriously, will he EVER be rid of that fucking nightmare of a nickname!?
"Now this here will be a test of strength and determination, so no weapons will be allowed," Wackford instructed, facing all the competitors. "If y'all wanna win and claim the title as "King of the Ring" y'all must eliminate all other wrestlers by either tapping them out, knocking them out, or tossing them out of the ring!"
"Sounds like fun," Granny commented with a smirk.
With everything else out of the way, all that was left for Wackford to do now was jump off the fence, run up to the announcer's booth to take his seat next to Stolas and get things rolling.
"Alright, fighters!" he yelled into the mic. "Are. You. READY!?"
At that moment, most if not all the competitors cried out in excitement, many of them, including Granny, was already starting to crack their necks and knuckles with wide grins on their faces. Mick, however, merely gulped.
"Then... FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"
BANG!
With Wackford's cry followed by the sound of his pistol, every single Imp in the ring immediately charged at each other like their lives depended on it, tackling each other into the mud to pin the other down.
Mick didn't know whether it was because he had a sudden surge of adrenaline, or because the whisky he drank was affecting him in unexpected ways, but regardless of the reason, he ran into the fight just like everyone else. He didn't quite get a good look at the Imp he tackled into the mud, but at that moment he didn't care. Between the rush of it all and the agenda for being here, only one word registered in his head: WIN!
Once he was sure the first Imp had been knocked out from the tackle, Mick quickly stood up to see a second one making a mad dash for him, however, that proved to be in vain when a third one came charging at him from the side… luckily that particular Imp was one Mick recognised.
"YEEEEEEEHAW!" Granny cried out before punching the Imp in the face, and elbowing another in the stomach just as she was sneaking up behind her. "Come on, sonny! Not wussing out on me now, are ya!?"
At that moment, for whatever reason… Mick merely smirked at such a remark.
"Bring it!"
Back up in the stands, Loona and the kids cheered for both Mick and Granny like there was no tomorrow. With every punch either of them threw, their cries only grew louder.
"This is fucking awesome!" Champ yelled. "Where the hell is Ember!? She's missing all this!"
It was only then Loona turned her head to the empty seat next to her… only to find that Ember wasn't the only one missing in action!
"More importantly, where's your sister!?"
At those words, Champ and Chomp immediately ceased their cheering and turned their heads as well. True to Loona's words, Chimp had indeed managed to slip away without anyone noticing… to where neither of them could fathom.
Little did anyone realize, Chimp was a lot smarter than any adult gave her credit for. Despite having a broken leg, the young Imp could see through Ember's little fib like glass and, as such, took it upon herself to follow her… to the best of her current ability at least.
It was difficult with her damaged limb, there was no denying that, but all the time she and her siblings had spent pickpocketing Imps off the streets had given Chimp quite the knack for keeping herself hidden from unsuspecting suckers. Therefore it wasn't that much of an issue when she followed Ember through the crowd of onlookers. With everyone's attention on the game, no one would even think twice about an Imp child limping away and minding her own business.
While Granny Magma was busy with her own quarries, Mick was fairing pretty well in the Brawl, all things considered. Dodging many tackling Imps while tail-tripping others, the biggest challenge seemed to just be to stay on his feet. If anyone knocks him to the ground, then they would be the ones who had the advantage.
"I think… I think I'm actually getting the hang of this," Mick thought aloud, breathing heavily as he backhanded an Imp who tried attacking him from behind.
Taking a moment to look at his surroundings, the Cat Demon could see the full brutality of the Mud Brawl. While he may have been lucky to only have the Imps try to attack him one at a time thus far, that was more than he could say for some of the others. In some cases, two Imps had paired up against one mutual quarry before turning against each other, and some only seemed interested in dog-piling the weaker guys… like Moxxie.
"Motherfuck-"
CRUNCH!
Cringing at the sight of the shark jumping into the ring and body slamming Moxxie after the dog pile was done with him, Mick just couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy… for a moment at least.
"Oof, glad I'm not THAT guy," he commented, suddenly grabbing another Imp by the scruff of his shirt and throwing him aside.
"Don't pity the weaklings, Micky!" Granny cried out, knocking the Imp out with a roundhouse kick. "If we are to win, they must all be DESTROYED!"
Seeing Granny's bloodlust in full swing, Mick couldn't help but let out a small laugh even as another Imp jumped up onto his back and tried to put him in a chokehold. However, while the brawl continued, neither Mick nor Granny were aware of Scorch and Brutas eyeing them both from across the ring.
"He's all yours, big fella," Scorch snickered, watching with glee as Brutas stomped over to the Sinner.
Just as the buff Imp made it a few feet away from him, Mick was just finishing up taking another competitor out of the fight.
"Sorry for the awkwardness of this, Miss, but I make it a policy to never hit women," he said, carrying the blushing Imp girl he had tied up in his tail bridal style over to the edge of the fence. "Happy landing!"
"Oof!"
With the tiniest amount of force, the Sinner unwrapped his tail and casually dropped the girl on the other side of the ring, knocking her out of the contest.
"Dick!" she cried out, dusting herself off and rubbing her sore bottom.
"Been called worse, lady," Mick retorted with an unphased shrug, unaware of the behemoth standing behind him.
"SURPRISE!"
Before he even realized what was happening, a large muscular arm shot out and wrapped around Mick's scrawny neck, instantly putting him in a brand new chokehold. Suddenly being lifted off the ground, Mick suddenly found himself tossed around before skidding across the mud pit. By the time he managed to pry his masked face out of the muck, he found his assailant standing over him with a cocky grin.
"Let me guess," the Cat Demon growled, spitting out a glob of mud as he pieced together what was happening. "Scorch's buddy, right?"
Of course, the muscular Imp's grin only grew wider at that.
"Right on the money!" he barked, suddenly grabbing Mick by the scruff of his shirt before slamming him back to the ground hard. "And I ain't gonna lie, I do hope you stay conscious long enough for this… 'Cause I want to enjoy every second!"
After that, Mick basically became the buff Imp's punching bag for a good minute and a half. Before he even had the chance to stand back up, the Cat Demon was quickly grabbed by the arm and flipped over Brutas's shoulder back into the mud, giving the Imp the opening to kick him hard in the stomach before grabbing him by the tail and swinging him around like a tetherball. At one point, he was even used as a flail to knock one of the small Imps out of the ring, breaking off the mouthpiece of his mask and sending him flying back into the muck in the process.
By the time the onslaught was over, Mick found himself on his knees struggling to even breathe as he spat out even more mud, this time mixed with his own blood as one of his teeth fell out. But much like before, despite his struggles to stand back up, Brutas quickly took hold of him and put his neck in yet another chokehold.
"Oh, come on!" Mick gagged, struggling to take even a single breath in the Imp's grip. "Scorch I get, but what the fuck did I ever to do you?"
At those words, Brutas gave his most sickening grin ever before grabbing the Sinner's head in both hands and whispering into his torn ear.
"Nothin' at all," he said "I just get a huge kick outta this!"
SNAP!
With a single fast pull of his arm, Brutas then spun Mick's head completely around.
Seeing Mick's body collapse into the mud, everyone in the stands stared in horror, especially those who Mick knew personally.
"MICK!"
"NO!"
As mortified as she was to witness her friend fall, Loona nonetheless held Champ and Chomp close, both to stop them from running off in anger, and to hide her own grief. Even Jo and Lin were shocked when they witnessed the snapping of Mick's neck, so much so that they made sure to make a mental note to skewer Brutas as soon as he stepped out of the ring. As the crowd of both competitors and bystanders fell silent for a moment, even Wackford watching in the booth found himself taken aback as he spoke into the mic in front of him.
"And just like that, we have our first death of the game folks," he announced, his voice a little more solemn than it was before. "Oh, what a heartbreaker. Hell has just lost one of its funniest fellas today."
However, much to the shock and surprise of everyone listening, Stolas let out a small laugh before he once again snatched the mic.
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure, Wackford," he said, causing many eyebrows in the audience to raise. "I happen to know for a fact that this particular Sinner is not taken down so easily."
"Huh!?" Brutas uttered, confusingly scratching his head.
"WHAT!?" Scorch snapped, his moment of victorious excitement halted the instant he heard the Goetia Prince say that.
And then, in front of everyone in the stands and the Mud Ring… the impossible happened. Having never witnessed Mick doing such a thing before, almost everyone in Wrath gasped in awe when he stood back up despite his head facing the wrong way! Though he was so sure he had killed the Sinner with his bare hands, it didn't take long for Brutas to back away in fear as said Sinner brought his hands to his head and snapped it back into place with a single twist before giving his assailant a literal burning glare.
"Well…" Striker commented with a sly grin as he and Blitzo watched Mick stretch himself out. "This brawl just got a little more interesting."
Needless to say, every time Mick took a step forward, and Brutas took a step back, the now terrified Imp felt like he was on the verge of wetting himself. Suddenly Mick took a deep breath and let out one simple word.
"Boo."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Brutas screamed, blubbering like a baby as he suddenly tried to make a break for the fence. "It's a zombie! It's a fucking ZOMBIE!"
Turns out the muscular Imp-turned-crybaby wasn't all that bright either. The moment his back was turned, Mick got on all fours and launched himself like a jungle cat at his fleeing opponent, latching onto his back before sinking his sharp teeth into his shoulder.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
And just like that the crowd roared with excitement and the brawl continued as if nothing had happened at all. Of course, that wasn't all true for the Imps in the stands. They didn't know how it was possible but frankly, no one in the crowd could care less, because Mick just made things seem a little more epic without even trying!
"AAHH! He's biting me!" Brutas screamed, trying desperately to shake the Cat Demon off. "The zombie's biting me!"
Of course, Brutas wasn't the only one suffering for his failed murder attempt. Seeing his subordinate fail so miserably, Scorch was viciously taking out his anger on any Imp that came near him.
"God fucking damn it!" he snapped, snarling like an animal as he kicked one Imp in the groin as he fell into the mud. "Alright, Plan B it is then…"
While Scorch was mulling that particular thought over, before long, Mick eventually saw an opportunity of his own.
"All yours, Granny!" he cried out, steering Brutas like a wild horse with his tail before launching himself off him with a double-footed kick to the space between his shoulders.
Despite going face-first into the mud, Brutas didn't see it as a loss so much as a chance to run away from the monster he pissed off. However, just as he lifted his head, he was horrified to see a smirking Granny Magma standing over him.
"Well, well," she chuckled, punching a fist into her palm before cracking her knuckles. "Who's been a naughty boy then?"
Before the larger Imp could even think of crawling away, Granny then jumped over him and grabbed him by the tail. With what should have been an impossible feat of strength, the old woman started swinging Brutas around, lifting him higher and higher out of the mud as she gained more speed.
"Round and round and round we go!" she cackled much to the delight of the audience and the nightmare of Brutas.
"I'm gonna be Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!"
Those were the last words the large Imp managed to let out before he was literally flung out of the ring, sending him flying high into the sky and soaring right over the stands before crash-landing in a nearby food stall.
CRASH!
"I'm Forest Gump! You can call me Forest Gump… urk!"
With those final few words, possibly the result of an immediate concussion, Brutas finally blacked out with a pair of broken ribs and a face full of Chilli sauce.
"YEE-FUCKING-HAW!"
Obviously Mick couldn't fault Granny for crying out loud with her excitement after that. In a way, it was like she was an athlete finishing up the hammer throw at the Olympics, and boy, what a throw it was! By tossing out that one Imp, the elderly woman practically turned up the volume of everyone cheering in the stands… of course, not everyone was ecstatic at the display.
POW!
CLUNK!
While she was distracted by the praise she was getting from the crowd, all it took was one punch to her jaw to send her a yard across the mud, causing her to hit her head against the wooden post of the fence. In a matter of seconds, Granny Magma was out cold and out of the competition.
"YOU!"
Still under the initial shock of the attack on Granny, Mick almost didn't manage to block the assault from her assailant, Scorch, as he tackled the Sinner into the mud. Seeing the burning look in Scorch's good eye as both their hands were interlocked, Mick knew instantly that the Imp was on the verge of exploding with anger.
"Oh, shit,"
A few yards away from the ring, Scorch's little friend, Gnat chuckled to himself as he hid under the stands. After seeing Brutas fail in his task, it was now on him to carry out the backup plan for the Cat Demon's demise. As much as he would have liked to see the first plan succeed, he couldn't lie and say that he wasn't looking forward to personally putting the Sinner down for what he did to his leg. Of course, in order to accomplish that, certain preparations had to be made…
Now, while normal methods of killing would take out an Imp or a Hellhound without any troubles, Gnat had suspected that Sinners were a different story. As such, he knew he needed a particular type of weapon for the job… or at least a certain type of ammo. Pulling out his long-ranged pistol from the holster on his hip, he then pulled out a small box from his front pocket, and inside the box… were three shimmering white bullets… BLESSED BULLETS!
Having obtained this type of ammunition from the Black Market some years ago, Gnat only brought these out for certain occasions when certain "accidents" were in order. Otherwise, he always kept them hidden on his person, away from prying eyes. After all, even in the lowest Rings of Hell, there are some laws that Demons needed to abide by, and an Imp carrying a weapon made from Angelic Metal would never be tolerated by any higher-ranking Demon in most cases.
Once all three bullets were loaded, with Gnat being extremely careful not to touch them with his bare skin to avoid getting burnt but their holy shells, something happened to his pistol that would seem most peculiar to anyone who bared witness. Within moments, the carvings on the handle lit up, shifting and growing until finally, the whole gun was covered in them… as if Gnat's pistol had suddenly turned from a weapon of Hell to a weapon made in Heaven. And unfortunately for Mick, that weapon was now being aimed right at him from between the seats above Gnat's head.
Meanwhile, Gnat's partner in crime was maintaining his grip on the Cat Demon's hands, locking them both in a small stalemate as they both tried to overpower each other.
"I had assumed you'd be the petty type, Scorch," Mick commented with a small grunt. "Gotta say, it doesn't suit you."
"And YOU have a problem with sticking your nose where it don't belong!" Scorch retorted, baring his teeth at the Sinner. "Ever since we first encountered each other, all you've ever done is make things difficult."
Mick couldn't help but smirk at that.
"What can I say?" he said. "I can't stand A-holes who pick on ladies and little kids!"
"HA! That worthless little bitch had it coming for years!" Scorch snapped back, grinning at the memory of throwing Chimp down the mineshaft. "But don't you worry, you'll be joining her in oblivion soon enough… and I'm going to enjoy every FUCKING second of it!"
Staring down the sight of his pistol, Gnat soon grinned in delight when the side of Mick's head came into clear view.
"That's right, Scorch," he muttered, clicking the hammer and readying the shot. "Just keep him there."
Finally, success was at hand. The shot was lined up perfectly, and the noise of the cheering above him was providing the perfect cover… All that was left now was to pull the trigger.
"Goodnight, little kitty,"
CHOMP!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
BANG!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!
He missed… after all that effort, Gnat fucking MISSED!? And worse still, he hit the wrong target to boot! Feeling a burning sensation worse than anything he ever felt before, Scorch instantly pushed Mick away and grasped the area on his upper right arm where the Blessed bullet grazed him. Needless to say, his whole arm hurt like a son of a bitch even if the bullet only hit that one area. Alas, the level of pain he was in severely lacked when compared to his newfound level of anger at that very moment.
"HEY!" he shouted, directing his voice to someone somewhere in the stands. "You're supposed to shoot HIM not me, you fucking idiot!"
Of course, the moment he realized what he let slip out of his mouth, Scorch immediately slapped his hand over it. However, it was already too late, for many of the Imps within earshot had already begun to murmur angrily amongst each other.
"What the hell did he just say?!" one of the remaining competitors snapped.
"That ain't legal!" his current opponent added, the pair of them being only a small few of the many angry comments filling the stands above.
So THAT was Scorch's scheme, huh? If the neck-breaking didn't work, then he would have someone shoot Mick in the head while everyone was distracted by the brawl. What's more, given how Scorch was reacting to the injury, they were using ANGELIC weapons! Having known the feeling of such a touch all too well, Mick knew that there could be no other explanation. There was one thing he didn't know, however… How did Scorch's accomplice miss so badly?
"You filthy little varmint!"
That was the first thing Gnat managed to let out after shaking Snowflake off his tail. Before he could take his shot, the brave little fox had run up to him and sank her sharp teeth into the very tip of it like a fish on a hook. Needless to say, the sudden shock and pain had caused the furious Imp to miss the Sinner and graze Scorch by accident. And for that, Gnat now had the desire to put a bullet in the pup's cute little skull.
"Damn you…" he growled, aiming his pistol directly between Snowflake's eyes as she stood her ground, arching her back and giving the Imp a defiant growl.
However, before he could even pull the trigger…
POW!
All it took was one punch to the face from an unseen attacker, and Gnat ended up dropping his gun. Moments later, his arm was suddenly pulled back and he was forced to the ground by a leather boot standing on his back. Seeing his gun a few inches away from his face, he desperately tried reaching for it with his free arm… only for it to suddenly get flicked away by Snowflake's tails.
"Uh-uh, little man," a familiar feminine voice said mockingly as Gnat's other arm was pulled behind his back. "Can't have that."
Shifting his gaze upward, Gnat found himself shocked to see Ember crouching over him while tying his wrists together with his own tail, smirking at his expense.
"Well done, Snowy," she said, receiving a happy yip from the Kitsune pup in response.
Unfortunately, while Gnat may have been dealt with, had Snowflake not just tossed the gun away so randomly, it wouldn't have skidded out from under the stands and at the feet of one particular Imp child.
Despite her best efforts, Chimp's injury had indeed slowed her down to the point where she couldn't keep up with Ember and Snowflake. As such, she had unfortunately lost sight of the two of them a good while ago, and as such was forced to double back and return to her siblings. The moment she saw the gun land in front of her, however, she found herself freezing in fear. She may not have seen an Angelic Weapon before, but the white shimmer coming from it was enough to make her recall all the nightmare-inducing stories she had ever heard about them… Unfortunately, she chose the wrong place to stop in her tracks.
"The street rat!?" Scorch gasped, catching sight of Chimp from the corner of his good eye. "Still alive!?"
Seeing the beastly snarl coming from Scorch, Mick knew in an instant that the Imp was about to do something incredibly stupid. After all, searing pain and building up anger can only lead to one thing… blind fury.
"NO!"
That was the last thing Scorch shouted before knocking Mick into the mud and rushing over to the fence. Much to the further shock of every witness in the crowd, he then pulled out a knife from inside his vest pocket and threw it straight at the child who he failed to kill.
"Kid, look out!" someone from the stands shouted, causing Chimp to look up.
Had she reacted a mere second later, the knife would have pierced Chimp in her good eye… thankfully she managed to jump away in time and only receive a small knick to her cheek. But regardless, this blind act of aggression immediately caused the blood of everyone who saw it to boil.
"Hey, she's just a kid, you fucking dick-shit!" Blitzo screamed, bearing his teeth in fury.
"Fucking coward!" an Imp in the stands added.
Moments later, instead of cheering, the air was filled with disgusted boos and hissing from every Imp in attendance. Even Wally Wackford couldn't help but join in on the outrage.
"I say, I say folks, I had never seen such a disgusting display in these here games," he commented from the booth. "And given where we live, that's saying a LOT! Get out of the ring, you piece of shit!"
With that declaration, Wackford proceeded to throw his box of popcorn out of the front window of the booth, causing it to fly straight into Scorch's face."
"GAH!" Scorch exclaimed, clutching his now-further injured eye. "What the fuck!?"
Before the Imp even had a chance to blink, everyone in the crowd followed Wackford's example and started throwing their half-eaten confections into the ring. From beer cans to caramel apples, nothing was too good to get thrown at the scumbag down below. Even the other competitors stopped what they were doing to start throwing globs of mud at him.
"You miserable fuckers!" Scotch cried out, swatting away a few of the items that flew his way. "You think you can throw shit at me!?"
At that moment, the severely pissed-off Imp pulled out a second knife from the inside of his vest and pointed it towards the competitors throwing mud at him.
"Any of you cowards willing to give me a REAL fight then!?" he snarled. "Come on! Bring it if you have balls!"
However… had Scorch paid more attention to his surroundings, he would have noticed the inevitable nightmare that was about to fall upon him. As much as it angered every witness to see Scorch viciously attack Chimp out of the blue… no one was more pissed off than Mick! Hearing the poor girl's terrified scream, and seeing the small trickle of black blood ooze down her cheek, something inside the Cat Demon blazed with pure, devastating hatred… something completely SNAPPED.
Mick may not have told anyone he knew about the specifics or why he smoked so much weed, always preferring to say it was for medical reasons, but if he ever did, everyone he would tell would never believe it unless they saw what was occurring at this very moment. Turns out that this specific strain of marijuana didn't just dull Mick's physical pain on his face… but also his EMOTIONAL pain. Having gone so long without smoking a joint, the Cat Demon's anger was increased ten-fold… and that in turn caused something far worse than a simple lashing out.
When he saw Chimp crying in the dirt, whimpering as her siblings quickly ran up to her, a low growl escaped Mick's throat, which slowly turned into a loud panther-like roar as he rose back to his feet, his glaring eyes burning with flames bigger than ever before. Suddenly, much to the shock of everyone watching, his entire body began emitting a cloud of steam, every single strand of hair on his body heating up with the ferocity of a volcano. Even the drool that fell from his mouth sizzled as he salivated like a rabid beast.
At that moment, everyone stared in awe as Mick's blue flames suddenly burst out from the tip of his tail, spreading further and further down until they reached his lower back… and then they KEPT going! Within a matter of seconds, the Cat Demon's entire upper body was engulfed in eerie blue fire, his now blackened body shimmering in the light as his claws extended to an unnatural size, his body grew a few inches taller and his shirt burned down to nothing. Needless to say, the sudden change rendered almost everyone speechless.
"Whoa! Check it out, the Cat is on fire!" Wackford cried out, his jaw dropped in awe before he quickly shook his head. "No seriously, he is on FIRE! Someone better get the hose before he burns down the whole ring!"
It was only when he heard Wackford say those words did Scorch finally turn around to see what horror he had inadvertently unleashed. As bad as Mick looked, it was nothing compared to the intense heat his burning body was now radiating. In fact, he was so hot that not only did his shoes melt right off his feet, but the very mud beneath them began to dry out and crumble into sand with every step he took towards Scorch.
"Wh-what? You think this little light show is gonna intimidate ME!?" the Imp snarled, trying to put on a brave face as he once again brandished his knife. "Why won't you just fucking DIE!?"
With that ear-shattering scream, Scorch then launched himself at Mick's burning form, ready to slash his blade straight across the Cat Demon's exposed belly. However…
CLINK!
To the crowd's further awe and Scorch's terror, Mick CAUGHT the blade in his open palm… before it suddenly MELTED into slag in his grasp.
"You first,"
The moment that demonic voice emerged from Mick's mouth, all Scorch could do was stand there, frozen in fear, feeling the scorching heat of the Sinner's breath as he ROARED in his face.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRRRRR!
With that one beastly bellow, almost everyone bearing witness screamed in shock as the flames around Mick's body intensified to the point where it looked like he was a living flamethrower. This boy… had become a MONSTER!
"Oh, FUCK this noise, I'm getting out of here!" Blitzo cried out, dropping what he was doing and making a break for the fence.
"Right behind ya!" Striker added, his usual grin temporarily replaced with a fearful snarl as he followed suit.
Before long, every other fighter who hadn't been taken out of the brawl began to flee and jump out of the ring for their own safety. Within a span of 3 seconds, only Mick and Scorch remained. Seeing the flaming beast before him… only then did the Imp realise how badly he fucked up.
"Oh… shit,"
At those words, Mick took a few steps closer to his newfound prey, with Scorch taking a step back for each one.
"N-now hold on there, partner," he stuttered, his voice cracking under the intense fear welling up inside him despite trying in vain to save face. "I-I'm sure, you're a reasonable fella… m-maybe we can talk about this?"
BAM!
Of course, this face attempt was only met with a hard punch straight across the Imp's enormous chin, sending him flying back into the mud. As bad as that was, what made it worse was when Mick started talking in that deep, creepy voice again.
"No more talking... only everlasting PAIN!"
Creepily cracking his neck, Mick then let out a small chuckle.
"Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe!
That's it! That was the last straw! No amount of revenge was worth this! If Scorch didn't flee right now, he would never live to see another day! Unable to bear the fear, he quickly tried to crawl away… but Mick wasn't going to let him get off that easy. Suddenly grabbing the Imp by the tail and swiftly pulling him back, it wasn't long before the Cat Demon was holding him by the front of his shirt and pulling him close to his face, his very touch being so hot Scorch literally felt like his flesh was about to ignite.
"AAAAAH CRAP!" he screamed, struggling to even breathe from the hot air Mick was radiating. "STOP! PLEASE, STOP!"
However, no matter how many times he begged, Scorch's pleas fell upon deaf ears. Mick was far too angry to be reasoned with now.
"You are a pathetic little man," the cat Demin growled, every syllable feeling like an extra hot iron to Scorch's skin. "You belittle women… you cheat to get petty revenge… but worst of all… you hurt my friends… Your. life. is. FORFEIT!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
After that, came an onslaught of beatings so horrific that they were unable to be put into words, so much so that Scorch's screams echoed far and wide for everyone to hear. In fact, it was so terrible, Loona had to cover Chomp's eyes in an attempt to preserve her innocence.
"I… I think I'm gonna be sick," Champ stated with a shudder, quickly turning away to avoid seeing the massacre.
Needless to say, that sentiment was shared among a great many Imps in the stands… in fact, a couple of them actually DID throw up at the sight of such brutality. And considering which Ring of Hell they come from, that was saying a lot. Even Stolas felt faint upon seeing Mick in action… However, that wasn't to say that it didn't give him a few things to think about regarding his daughter's most recent request.
"No... no wait I don't think it's supposed to bend that way–"
SNAP!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!""
About two minutes, and 24 seconds later, Scorch's body was rendered into a broken mess. With two of his limbs sticking out in odd places, every inch of his skin riddled with burns, bruises and deep, bleeding claw marks, and three of his fingers completely bitten off, whatever arrogance or confidence he may have had was long gone. Soon enough, Mick's burning hand was wrapped around his throat, causing him to whimper and sin as the Cat Demon once again pulled him close.
"P-please... no more!" he blubbered. "Mercy… MERCY!"
Then Mick said the five words that would haunt him for the rest of his miserable life.
"Sorry… all OUT of mercy,"
Hearing his own words thrown back at him with such venom, Scorch could only weep in despair. As much as he hated to admit it… he was finished. Giving the Imp one final snarl, Mick then granted his wish for mercy by tossing him into the air… before delivering a hard kick to his gut. With that final blow, Scorch was sent flying straight through the nearest section of the fence, reducing it to splinters before skidding across the dirt and smashing hard into a nearby concession stand. Within moments, Scorch's broken body lost consciousness and the air was filled with an unnerving silence.
…
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Once the initial shock has passed, EVERYONE roared for Mick's victory, especially those who knew him personally.
"YEEHAW!" Ember screamed, clapping her hands hard as she relished in the final moments of the fight as she and Snowflake were stepping out from under the stands. "Way to go, Mick!"
"AWOOOOOOOOOO!"
"THAT'S MY BOY!" Jo cried out, hugging his wife with excitement.
The only ones who remained quiet at that moment were Striker, who merely grinned at the burning Sinner with respect… and Chimp, who could only look at Mick with such awe that she was brought to tears.
"He's… he's so awesome," she cried, unable to stop herself from smiling despite her tears.
Back in the centre of the mud ring, however, all that Mick could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat. Given how fast it was going, he could almost dance to the beat… and yet, as soon as the cheers of his friends reached his ears, that heartbeat began to slow and steady. Turning his gaze away from his fallen foe to look at the adoring crowd, all of Mick's anger slowly began to fade… instead, there was only joy… triumph… and pure, untamed PRIDE!
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRR!"
As soon as Mick raised his fists and let out that triumphant roar, blazing his fire high into the sky, the Crowd cheered louder than ever! In fact, the atmosphere was filled with so much excitement that not even a Goetia could resist getting into it.
"My word, how invigorating!" Stolas cried out, quickly feeling the need to fan himself as multiple thoughts went coursing through his head.
"Well, there you have folks!" Wackford yelled into the mic, his huge smile showing that he was no less excited than everyone else. "I say, I say, in all my years I had NEVER seen a fight as spectacular as that! Don't y'all agree!?"
Somehow the crowd cheered even louder upon hearing that.
"This morning, this Sinner was an internet sensation from the Pride Ring, tonight he goes home a legend of Wrath!" Wackford continued, relishing in his own voice as he made his final declaration of the game. "Ladies and Gentle-Imps, I give you, the winner of the Mud Brawl! … The Burning Terror! … The King of the Ring! … Michaeeeeeeeeeel FIRECLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWW!"
It may have been a name Wackford came up with on the spot, but nevertheless, the Imps in the audience found it fitting. So much so that they immediately began to chant it.
"Fireclaw! Fireclaw! Fireclaw!"
As for the Sinner himself, as soon as he heard the name, he practically relished it. Gone was the humiliation of Crazy Cat, today… he had a moniker he can wear with pride.
"Mick!"
Of course, it was only when he heard his real name that the Cat Demon returned his gaze to the hole in the fence, where he saw Chimp limping over to him with Loona and her siblings in tow… However, before the young Imp could even get close, Mick's vision soon began to blur. So much so that he didn't even realize when his eyes rolled back and he collapsed back into the mud. The only comfort he had at that moment was when he caught one final glimpse of the kids before he blacked out completely.