DCL Apocrypha: Yvette's Gauntlet Part 3

It was the third match that made Yvette suspicious that something bad was going on.  She traveled with a few other fighters to another city and found that she was scheduled for a streetfight against Jenny Rollins.  It had only been two days since her marathon against Alicia!  The local event manager apologized for the short notice, but they had several fighters unable to get to the arena on time, and thus the substitutes were being pressed into duty.  Yvette sighed and got ready for the fight.

Jenny Rollins had been in the DCL almost as long as Yvette; she was two years older, in fact.  Though no longer a contender, she was still in demand and could deliver a good performance because she kept herself in amazing condition.  Even at her age her body seemed chiseled out of stone and her muscle definition was the envy of even the younger fighters.  Yvette had faced her a number of times in the past and she knew that Jenny was an honorable and fair fighter but also as tough and brutal as they came.

There would be no rounds in the streetfight and few rules, both favoring the fighter who hadn't been through two tough battles in the previous week.  Yvette gave it her all and put up a good fight, using stick-and-move tactics and tying Jenny up whenever she tried to grapple.  But she didn't have the strength for a prolonged match, and Jenny found it easier and easier to cut off her angles of escape.  Just a few minutes into the fight and Jenny was landing punches and throwing Yvette around the ring.

Jenny was unaware of Yvette's previous schedule and wondered why she was so unprepared for a match; that wasn't the Yvette she knew at all.  She managed to flip her onto the mat and with a swift and smooth motion pressed a knee against her jaw, trapping her arm.  Unfortunately for Yvette, the move was more swift than smooth, and Jenny's knee struck her jaw, leaving her disoriented for a few moments.  She flailed about with her right arm until Jenny grabbed it and held it out of the way.

Somewhere in the haze that her brain was floating in, Yvette realized that she was in a very bad spot.  Her whole body was exposed and defenseless and within reach of Jenny's free arm.  She could not get her arms loose and her legs felt like they were made of lead.  The best she could do was buck and kick in an attempt to shake off her opponent.  But she was too weak and could not dislodge Jenny, who emphasized how helpless she was by slamming a fist into her solar plexus.  Yvette gasped and tried to concentrate, but between the knee to the face and the sudden lack of oxygen, her brain felt just as wobbly as her legs.  She kept squirming as she tried to get her bearings.

Jenny had delivered the punch and then waited to see if Yvette would tap out.  She was going to give her old rival a chance to exit the fight without taking an unnecessary beating.  But Yvette just kept fighting.  Jenny thudded two more punches, one into her breast and one into her stomach, and hesitated again.  Surely Yvette would realize that her situation was hopeless and give up.  There was no reason to prolong the pain, but Yvette continued to struggle.  Oh well, thought Jenny.  If this is what she wants...

Jenny began to slam her fist into Yvette's quivering torso repeatedly, pummeling her breasts and ribs and side and stomach.  She could have targeted her groin, but Jenny had never been that kind of fighter and she wasn't going to start now.  Finally, she felt a vigorous tapping on her thigh.  The sharp blows were painful enough to clear the fog surrounding Yvette's brain, and she remembered how to signal her surrender.  The referee held Jenny's hand aloft in victory as Yvette tried to get her body to obey the simple commands that would let her drag herself to the dressing rooms.  Seeing her struggles, Jenny helped her exit the ring and make her way backstage.

Watching her slumped in a chair and barely moving, Jenny sat down next to Yvette.  "What happened out there?"  She asked.  "You've never been this unprepared for a match."  Yvette explained what her previous week had been like, and Jenny seemed surprised.  "Well if you've been that busy, why ask for this match?"  Now it was Yvette's turn to look surprised.  "I didn't, I was a sub."  Jenny explained that she had been sent here to fight her, not anyone else.  Her eyes narrowed as she said "Honey, something's going on and it can't be good, because the only person who can do something like that is Joan.  You take care of yourself, okay?"  There was not only concern in Jenny's voice.  There was also a bit of fear.  Joan wasn't someone to trifle with, and if she'd decided to target Yvette then the past week made more sense.

The next day she tried to get a hold of Joan and arrange a meeting.  Joan's representative told Yvette that she could meet with her the following day if she was willing to fly cross-country to another venue where Joan would be staying.  Yvette agreed and booked the flight.  Maybe there was a misunderstanding that could be cleared up before things got out of hand.  She felt better as she boarded the plane for another long trip.

Joan was feeling better, too.  Her trap was all but sprung and as long as Yvette showed up the following night things would go according to plan.  Tired, beaten, and weak from fighting and traveling, she would be in no shape for the last fight of her career.  Joan grabbed her gym bag and headed for her car.

***

Notes: Still pushing myself to keep up a daily schedule, by which I mean DAILY (as in seven days a week).  I'm very happy with this image.  I haven't used these poses before and I think it delivers the impact that I intended.  It's hard not to feel for Yvette's predicament.