38 - Applying the Anesthetic

The heavy thud of Jessica’s solid body blow reverberated throughout the gym, its kinetic energy sending ripples in both directions; through Valerie’s midsection, and back up Jessica’s arm. The red corner and the ropes attached to it shook slightly as the wave transferred from Valerie’s back to the padded surface of the post. Once again on unsteady feet, Valerie’s eyes opened and were temporarily unable to focus on anything; all she saw was a haze of cloudy shapes. Soon enough however she came to recognize the largest and most immediately threatening one as her assailant. Becoming more aware of the danger she was in, the Ripper lowered her stance, pushing off from the corner she’d been relying on for support during the thrashing Jessica had administered to her.

Though her vision had not fully cleared yet, Valerie knew she needed to do something quickly, as her body was sending all the signals it could that she would be incapable of standing for much longer under her current situation. Remembering how she’d trapped Jessica in a corner in the previous round in similar fashion, her primary objective became removing herself from it in order to gain some breathing room. Before Jessica could strike her again, she stepped in with a low left that rammed into Jessica’s unguarded abs with surprising force considering the state she was in. Jessica winced under the sudden hit, her offensive temporarily stuttered. Despite this, she remained cognizant of the paralegal’s true intent, and refused to back off her or give enough space for an escape attempt.

 If Jessica would not give, then Valerie would take. Grunting with effort, Valerie lashed out, whipping a brisk right hook that likely would have given her the way out she sought, had it actually made contact. Jessica watched it carefully however, and a backward sway got her clear. As Valerie recovered from her whiff, her jaw was met with a violent left hook as the Nova Striker punished her for the attempt. Valerie’s head and neck were jerked to one side, and though she was no longer trapped against the post, she’d been intercepted on her way out and now suffered being pressured against the ropes right next to it, a situation that was effectively the same.

“H…Hawke…” she barely managed to utter as blood dribbled down her lip.

With an intense yell, the nurse pounced, absolutely crushing Valerie’s jaw with a devastating right hook. The Ripper moaned in agony as her upper body was jolted, her sweat, spit, and blood thrown through the air in a cloud. Her legs quavered, finally giving way as they could no longer support her weight. The ropes kept her up for just a moment as she began to descend, but could not keep her from crashing to the canvas with a loud thunk. Jessica stood tall over her, watching her as she writhed in pain. Without a word, she turned away, walking to a neutral corner as the announcer came on overhead to start the count.