"Ah," you say, rubbing the back of your neck. "You know, Briar can fix that right up."
"...there is that," the kunoichi admits, before slowly rolling herself over onto her back. She winces visibly as her eyes are exposed to the arena's overhead lights. "Errgh."
"Seriously, now," you ask, "are you alright?"
"M'fine," Ayane mutters. "Just help me up." She extends one hand, which you take. Despite whatever damage you've done to her head, Ayane stands mostly under her own strength, and once on her feet, no longer requires your assistance to stay upright. She does move a bit gingerly as she leaves the ring, but she walks out entirely under her own power, politely refusing the unspoken offer of medical assistance from the nearby officials.
"So," you say, being careful to avoid Gorn without looking like too much like you're doing so, as he and Morgiana pass you on their way to the ring. "Good fight."
"Good fight," Ayane agrees. Rubbing her forehead gingerly, she adds, "For the record, I think I might have preferred to be taken out by that ki blast to having my head battered in."
"For the record, the last opponent I used that attack as a finisher on blew up."
She looks at you with some alarm.
"Evil giant magical squid," you explain.
"Oh, one of those." Ayane shakes her head, winces, and stops. "Creatures like that always blow up, or dissolve, or burn to ash, no matter how you actually kill them - or so I'm told."
"I've heard rumors to that effect myself. Still, it didn't seem quite right to try for the same result on a friend, so I may have pulled the blast a bit. I hope you're not offended."
"The only thing that offends me is the fact that you've figured out how to use a ki attack before me," Ayane replies.
"If it helps, it's half magic."
"...no, that really doesn't help."
Then you're back with the rest of your friends. While Briar sets about inspecting Ayane and treating her with standard healing spells, Cordelia gives you a look of amusement.
"'Wisdom of the Raging Boar,' huh?" She smirks. "Seems like I'm not the only one embracing the Way of the Wild Pig."
"I blame the lingering concussion from when this one" - you indicate Ayane with your thumb - "kicked me in the head."
"A likely story."
"And I'm sticking to it." You fix your attention on the ring, where Morgiana is going after Gorn like an enraged lioness, while the demon responds with cool, machine-like precision. They're remarkably well-matched in terms of power and technique; Morgiana appears to be faster and more agile, but the blows she lands because of those advantages aren't able to overcome Gorn's unnaturally swift recuperative powers. Out of the corner of one eye, you notice that Altria has returned to the waiting area. She's been cleaned up a bit and had the opportunity to change clothes, but she still looks pretty well exhausted. It bodes well for you, at least.
"What's the verdict on Ayane, Briar?" you ask then.
"Not bad," the fairy tells you, completing a spell with a flourish of her wand. "Nothing a few meals and a good night's sleep won't clear up, now that I've had a look at her."
"Think you could spot me a heal, before the next round?"
Briar blinks. "Um. Alex? Wouldn't that count as interference?"
...
...damn. It might, at that.