Warehouse 17 Pt.2 - Heroic Shadow
HEROIC SHADOW
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Three hard blows to Valerie's neck left the ponytailed girl stunned and defenseless. A hard palmstrike to the chin sent her flying through the air. Her opponent leapt after her, landing on top of her body and pinning her to the canvas of Warehouse 17's arena. The masked girl looked down at her winded foe as a voice called out, "Valerie Kensington has been defeated in the ring of combat. Urban Ninja, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!"
A single chop to her skull put Valerie out cold. The Urban Ninja stood slowly, a masked fighter dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants. Tight tape wrappings covered her forearms, shins and midriff. She turned and left, returning to the cage in which the evening's fighters waited for their matches.
As the next fight took place, the ninja silently paced behind most of the other combatants. Her hair spilled slightly from the lowered hood of her top, its unkempt stylings matching the strange and cobbled look of her outfit. She eyed all of the fighters, but her gaze kept returning to a select few. She glanced up as the victor of the match returned to the cage: A native american wrestler called Kimimela.
"If they're all as easy as him, this will be a snap," said Kimimela. Her hair was braided, held together with leather tassles that also adorned her wrists. She wore a brown singlet and matching loincloth. "Did you need that match to last any longer?"
The Urban Ninja shook her head. "I have a few ID's in this crowd. Going to...step away for a bit. This place may be connected."
Kimimela looked over her shoulder. "Now's a good time. Another match is starting up. Are either of them an ID?" She turned back to see that the ninja had already disappeared. "I guess not," she sighed.
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A pair of namecards reading "PIXIE" and "ROCKET RITA" were hung on the hooks above the ring. "Next match! Rocket Rita, versus Pixie!"
Rita's red kickboxing attire shimmered, freshly cleaned of the bloodstains it had acquired during its previous usage. The star thai fighter's short-cropped black hair hung over her unimpressed expression as she watched her bouncing opponent. Pixie's wild pink hair matched the purple of her attire, a form-fitting singlet with a shredded skirt sewn to its waist.
Several of Pixie's opening attacks were met with textbook defense from Rita, who kept her guard up and took the blows on her forearms and shins. Pixie hopped and switched stances, landing a punch to Rita's gut and then throwing an acrobatic jump kick. Rita dodged out of the way of the kick, turning slowly as Pixie landed and span to face her.
The pink-haired fighter's head snapped sideways as Rita's kick slammed against it, quickly followed by a deep knee to the chest. Pixie covered her torso instinctively, leaving herself open to Rita's vicious overhead elbows. After three blows to the head, Pixie turned and tried to roll away. She scrambled to get to her feet, only to take a high kick across the face.
Rita took hold of her opponent by her hair, pulling her up off the mat and yanking her to the side. Pixie struggled as she suffered multiple knee strikes to her belly and kidneys, her arms falling slack after one strike forced a loud gag from her throat. Rita smiled, taking a half-step back before delivering a hard roundhouse kick that flipped Pixie over where she stood. The pink-haired fighter crashed to the mat, laying on her back as her head lolled left and right.
Looking down at the beaten girl, Rita paced around her body as she continued to lie on the canvas. After a few moments, a voice announced, "Pixie has been defeated in the ring of combat. Rocket Rita, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!"
Pixie could only swat her hands punch-drunkenly as she was pulled to her knees. Rita held her head tightly by her scalp, and then began to brutally slam her knees against Pixie's skull. Once the pink-haired fighter was left a bloody and gurgling mess, Rita threw one leg up into the air and waited. Pixie began to fall forward, moaning softly. Rita's heel slammed down across her forehead with a crack. Then, the kickboxer simultaneously lifted a knee into Pixie's chin while driving an elbow down onto her head. The pink-haired fighter's body shuddered as her eyes briefly widened before she crumpled. Rita pressed a foot down onto Pixie's cheek as she lay unconscious, her breathing laboured and pained.
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The Urban Ninja's bare soles sped silently over the tiles of Warehouse 17's backstage corridors. She stopped, watching from the shadows as Kimimela's unconsicous opponent was dragged by. She peered her head around the corner after the attendents passed, and quickly followed them.
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"Next match! Lindsey Colt, versus Andrew McGregor!"
With a wide-eyed expression, Lindsey raised both hands to the crowd. The curly-haired redhead was clad in a red and blue sports bra and spandex briefs. Across the mat, the kilt-wearing McGregor's broad chest and arms glistened with oil as he finished warming up.
Their bodies colliding with a loud clap, Lindsey and McGregor locked up as soon as the match began. The scottish fighter quickly grabbed his opponent about her waist, lifting her a few inches off the mat before heaving her up and over his shoulder. Lindsey hit the floor hard, tumbling unevenly as she tried to roll with the fall. The redhead locked up with McGregor again, finding it difficult to get a solid grip on his oiled torso. She was quickly thrown down once again with a belly-to-belly suplex.
As McGregor tried to pull her off the ground, Lindsey wrapped her legs around his waist, locking them around his kilt. Finally having found a solid grasping point, the redhead fighter twisted her hips and pulled her opponent down as he stooped to pick her up. Maintaining her leglock and positioning herself on McGregor's back, Lindsey tried to lock in a chokehold. Grunting with effort, her plan was once again thwarted by a lack of friction as McGregor was able to wriggle free of any neck locks. Her legs slipped up and around his greased abdomen as he tried to escape, and McGregor was able to spin around onto his back and face Lindsey head-on as she now sat on his chest. A sudden headbutt snapped her head back, letting her opponent push her aside and get up.
Still groggy as she stumbled to her feet, Lindsey made a frustrated noise as McGregor grappled with her once again. Much of her own body had become slick from McGregor's oil, leaving her without any solid tactics to fall back on. The scottish fighter knew where and when to apply pressure, easily hefting Lindsey into the air. He ran forward a few steps before tossing her high into the air like a caber. Lindsey shrieked as she soared several feet and fell headfirst onto the mat, sprawling on her stomach in a daze.
Taking all of her effort just to stay standing without slipping and losing balance, Lindsey could not put up a fight as McGregor squeezed her in a standing bearhug. Just as her mouth began to hang open and gasp for breath, McGregor heaved her high overhead with a belly-to-belly suplex. Lindsey lay on her back, panting and shining under the arena lights for some time before a voice declared, "Lindsey Colt has been defeated in the ring of combat. Andrew McGregor, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!"
Lindsey soon found herself pulled back to her feet, standing knock-kneed as she continued breathing heavily with a tired and surrendered look on her face. McGregor applied another bearhug, locking the hold tightly before lifting his opponent up into the air. Lindsey held her arms out wide, writhing to try and continue breathing as the scottish fighter crushed the wind from her body. Her legs thrashed as she was swung left and right, moaning hoarsely. Lindsey stared up at the ceiling, gurgling as foamy drool filled her mouth and ran down her chin. Her body shuddered a few times as she passed out, arms and legs limply swinging as McGregor squeezed her into submission. After he released her, Lindsey slumped to her knees and quickly toppled over onto her face. She left a greasy stain on the mat where she lay, after she was dragged out of the ring.
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Watching McGregor leave the arena altogether, Kimimela realized that a number of the victors of previous matches had begun to exit the caged waiting area. She stopped Rocket Rita, reaching for her shoulder and asking, "Where are you going?"
"Don't touch me," snarled Rita, turning quickly to face Kimimela. "Haven't you kept track of the time? The Warehouse is going to close up after the rest of these losers have had their matches. None of us are getting another fight."
Kimimela glanced at the clock that hung on a nearby wall. "Of course...thanks." Rita did not reply as she took her leave. Kimimela glanced back at the waiting fighters. "Ninja said something was going on after-hours here," she thought. "I'd better stick around...and be ready."
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"Next match! Margo Edison, versus Monkey Rouge!"
A large girl in orange tights with a yellow loincloth, Margo's long brown hair hung over her stocky and attractive face. Cartwheeling onto the mat, Monkey Rouge was a small girl with short red hair, wearing a ragged brown top and shorts.
Scuttling forward on all fours, Monkey Rouge began circling around Margo as the larger girl span to try and stay face-to-face. Margo could barely keep up, taking several shots to her body as her opponent threw whirling chops and kicks. Monkey Rouge leapt onto Margo's back, pounding the girl's head with her fists before stepping onto her shoulders and kicking her across the face. Margo cried out, falling to her knees and clutching her jaw. Monkey Rouge ran up to her, raining punches down onto her opponent. With a desperate cry, Margo stood and grabbed hold of Monkey Rouge, suffering more blows to her face and chest as she lifted her opponent off the mat by the throat and slammed her.
Rolling across the ground, Monkey Rouge shook her head and rapidly crawled around Margo. As the smaller girl leapt towards her, Margo planted her feet and raised her hands. Barely managing to catch Monkey Rouge, Margo quickly turned and slammed her once again. Pinning her opponent on the mat, Margo grabbed hold of the smaller girl's head and began pounding on her. Monkey Rouge squirmed and struggled to get free as she was beaten about her skull. Clawing at Margo's face, Monkey Rouge forced the larger girl to turn her face away. Then, Monkey Rouge chopped Margo's throat twice, making her choke and fall to the side.
Diving onto Margo's back as she gagged and gasped, Monkey Rouge once again began battering her opponent's head. Margo whimpered, crawling on her hands and knees. She shakily began to stand up, vision blurring as her opponent relentlessly attacked her. With a sudden roar, Margo stood and reached up, grabbing hold of Monkey Rouge and throwing her over her shoulder. Before the smaller girl could recover, Margo stomped a foot down into her opponent's gut, grinding her heel as Monkey Rouge's body curled up and around her leg with a pained howl. Monkey Rouge rolled over several times in a fetal position, eventually trying to get back to her feet. Margo's face reddened with adrenaline as she took hold of Monkey Rouge's head and lifted her off the mat, shaking the girl rapidly like a ragdoll.
Margo hopped up, still holding onto Monkey Rouge before slamming her onto the mat and landing on top of her. Margo pressed her body down, crushing her opponent beneath her. Monkey Rouge's limbs were all that was visible as she flailed wildly. Her legs tried to scissor around Margo as she slapped the larger girl's shoulders and sides. Soon her struggles slowed down, her body stiffening briefly before falling limp. After feeling her opponent fall still, Margo raised her body off of her and sat on top of her waist. Monkey Rouge's chest moved rapidly as she gasped for air, otherwise completely unconscious.
"Monkey Rouge has been defeated in the ring of combat. Margo Edison, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!" Face still red and eyes still enraged, Margo took a few moments to catch her breath. Then, she stood and loomed over Monkey Rouge. With a roar, she fully bodysplashed the smaller girl, stomach-to-stomach. Monkey Rouge's eyes bugged open as a long moan was forced from her lungs, her entire body spasming once before falling still.
Still seated on top of the gasping girl, Margo raised her fists and shouted in victory. She quickly grew exhausted as the adrenaline subsided, staggering out of the ring as her opponent lay defeated behind her.
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After a long break, the caged waiting area had filled with many new faces who joined the scant few fighters that remained. Kimimela stayed near the back, eyeing the arrivals until the next fight was finally called.
"Next match! Floral Fight 17, versus Tora Sky!"
A youthful fighter entered the ring, clearly excited to be under the arena lights. She wore a simple floral leotard, her hair held in a long ponytail. She looked, wide-eyed and brightly, at her opponent as she stepped onto the mat. Tora Sky was an amazonian girl dressed in pelts, with metal bracelets and anklets. She took a moment to flex an arm at her opponent, smiling as the floral girl's peppy expression faltered.
Inching forward, the floral girl made the first move as she delivered a high kick. Tora Sky blocked it, standing her ground and waiting. Her opponent tried another high kick, jumping forward with a knee after her first attack was deflected. The young fighter landed two more knee strikes, then span and slammed her foot against the side of Tora Sky's face. The amazon girl flew back from the hit, falling down for a moment before propping herself into a seated position on her elbows. She rubbed her cheek, glaring at her opponent before smirking.
The floral girl smiled nervously as Tora got back up, circling around her before throwing another kick. Tora caught her leg, quickly dropping a hard elbow down onto her knee. The floral girl pulled back, hopping slightly before attempting another kick. Tora caught her leg once again, letting her stand on one foot for a few moments before slamming two hard elbow drops right into the young fighter's kneecap. The floral girl cried out, falling to the canvas and clutching her knee. Tora Sky pulled her up to her feet, forcing the girl to walk a few steps on her injured leg before scooping her up and slamming her hard on her back.
Crawling to her hands and knees, the floral girl cried out as Tora Sky slammed her fists down onto her back. Three more times, Tora let her opponent begin to get off the mat before harshly beating her back down onto it. Picking the young fighter up herself, Tora lifted her up under one arm before delivering a hard backbreaker. The floral girl screamed as a new level of pain shot through her spine, before an elbow to her face cut off her protests.
Tora Sky forced her opponent back onto her feet, then split her lip with a hard chop to her jaw. The floral girl fell to her knees, staring forward as she tried to come to her senses. Tora Sky slowly stepped around her, standing behind the girl before applying a double chickenwing hold. Then, she hoisted the young fighter up into the air while maintaining the hold, leaving her hanging over the mat as her shoulderblades ground together. The floral girl shook her head rapidly, looking up at the crowd with wide and pleading eyes as her opponent walked around the ring and displayed her to the audience. There was a loud crack from the floral girl's shoulderblades as Tora suddenly increased the pressure of the hold, forcing an aguished scream from the young fighter before she was slammed facefirst onto the mat.
As the floral girl lay convulsing on her stomach, Tora stood over her and flexed her arms at the crowd. "Floral Fight 17 has been defeated in the ring of combat. Tora Sky, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!"
Taking her time, Tora Sky slowly took hold of one of the floral girl's arms, followed by one of her legs. Pushing a knee into the side of her body, Tora locked her into a bow and arrow hold. She leaned back, stretching the young fighter as the girl realized her back felt as though it was on fire. The floral girl slapped the mat over and over with her free hand, her untrapped leg kicking wildly as she continued to bend. Tora Sky craned her head down to look the girl in the eye as the young fighter begged desperately for mercy. Her pleas erupted into a final prolonged shriek as Tora wrenched the hold with a loud snap. Tora held the girl bent in the hold as her struggles suddenly ceased, waiting a while before letting her flop belly-down onto the canvas. The floral girl's torso shuddered as she made a few small gasping noises, an anguished look on her face as Tora lifted her head off the floor by her ponytail. The amazon fighter began throwing chops down onto her opponent's skull, not stopping until the floral girl was completely motionless. Once again flexing for the crowd, Tora Sky stood over her opponent's body, ignoring it as it was dragged away.
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Stepping back as several of the remaining fighters began to panic at the sight of a fatal match, Kimimela turned to try and leave. She found the door barred shut, and a few warning gunshots overhead convinced her to return to the middle of the waiting area. "I guess this late-night crowd is more demanding," she thought, biting her lip as another fight was called. "If Ninja doesn't get back soon, she may be on her own..."
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Watching a girl in a floral leotard get dumped onto a bed before a sheet was pulled over her body, the Urban Ninja crept forward from her hiding place once the attendents left the recouperation room. She reached beneath the sheet, feeling no pulse from the beaten fighter beneath it. Lowering her head for a moment, the Ninja paused as she noticed a concealed IV unit set up beneath the bed. She pulled the sheet back, and then rolled the floral girl onto her side. Several needles were connected to her back through an opening in the bed, clearly moving fluids into and out of her body. The Ninja carefully laid her down again, replacing the sheet over her face before crouching to inspect the IV unit.
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Her eyes half-open as she weakly clawed at her opponent's face, the girl in the clover-themed faded green tights was on her knees and held in a tight chokehold.
"Clover Maeve has been defeated in the ring of combat. Jun Bo, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!"
Moments later, Jun Bo twisted Maeve's head with a snap and walked away, arms raised and basking in the crowd's cheers. The irish girl made a long gurgling noise as her body stayed upright on her knees for several seconds before slumping forward.
"That was one of the fighters Ninja wanted to keep an eye on," thought Kimimela, watching the irish girl being dragged away. "Not much to see anymore..." As the next fight was called, she turned to see the next combatants enter the ring. "Wait, that's another one!"
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"Step away from my equipment," said the woman in the lab coat.
The Urban Ninja quickly turned, throwing a hypodermic needle from a nearby tabletop. The woman in the lab coat raised her clip-board just in time for the needle to spike into it like a dart. "Dr Herrington," said the Ninja, "why are you doing this? These fighters don't deserve to be turned into such playthings."
"You make this sound like a crime," replied Dr Herrington. "They are being healed. Brought back from the brink of death!"
"And then brainwashed into gladiators and lab rats," hissed the Urban Ninja, stepping forward. She stopped in her tracks as four women in surgical masks entered the room and formed a wall in front of Dr Herrington. They threw aside their labcoats to reveal dark sleeveless catsuits, and assumed combat stances.
"Leave her in one piece, if you could," remarked Dr Herrington as she turned to leave the room. "Physically, anyway. I can still use her if she's a vegetable."
The Urban Ninja's eyes darted left and right as she began to crouch low, the four henchwomen circling around her.
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A terrified fighter named Twinkletoes let out a stunned grunt as her opponent's roundhouse kick knocked her to the floor. Her purple longsleeve shirt and white spandex leggings were soon stained with blood as it ran from her nose, the girl desperately backing away as she tried to clear her vision. A chinese girl in a ripped yellow t-shirt and faded pink shorts looked on coldly as she continued to approach Twinkletoes, quickly blocking a wild right hook before dashing forward and slipping behind her.
"That one seems to have gotten used to this quickly," thought Kimimela, as the chinese girl's chokehold soon had Twinkletoes on her knees.
"Twinkletoes has been defeated in the ring of combat. Little Sunny, you may deliver your finishing blow. Vanquish her!"
Eyes fluttering as she croaked her submission, Twinkletoes let out a frightened cry as Fan "Little Sunny" quickly turned, releasing her momentarily. Just as quickly, the chinese girl wrapped a leg around Twinkletoes' neck and forced her to the floor before scissoring her other leg and strangling the girl. Twinkletoes kicked frantically, her eyes still wide as her opponent broke her neck and twisted her head to a gruesome angle. Fan stood and walked away without a second glance at the girl laying on the arena floor behind her.
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Twisting and tossing the first woman to attack her, the Urban Ninja quickly looked over her shoulder as she dodged another attack. Leaping upon the fallen henchwoman, the Ninja slammed her face into the floor to finish her off. Another attacker snuck up behind her and applied a hard chokehold, while a third woman began laying punches into the Ninja's gut. Wincing and gasping, the Ninja kicked up to legs and wrapped them around the puncher's head, and then span her body. The leglocked woman went headfirst through a tray of medical instruments, while the other one went to the ground with the Ninja and still held the chokehold tightly.
Squirming rapidly, the Urban Ninja barely managed to get herself free, and immediately kicked the henchwoman in the face as she stood. Turning around, she barely avoided another attack. Grabbing the third henchwoman as she missed, the Ninja slammed her face into one of the monitors in the room.
Preparing to run, the Ninja felt a surprising numbness in her back. Quickly, it became a searing pain. One of the henchwomen jabbed her again with an electrical prod, felling the Ninja to her knees.
"No..." thought the Ninja, "Couldn't...couldn't fight them all..."
Though two of the henchwomen were out of the fight, the other two began brutalizing the Urban Ninja with electrical prods. Quickly, the masked girl was screaming in pain, writhing on the floor and fighting to stay conscious.
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There was a small commotion before one of the ring attendents quickly left the fighting area. Kimimela took the moment, quietly slipping out the door before anyone noticed. She kept low, heading towards the source of the noise that echoed down the hallways of the warehouse.
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Gasping for breath, the Urban Ninja soon realized another combatant had joined the fray and assaulted her remaining attackers. One of the henchwomen lay sprawled across one of the computer workstations, while the other was being beaten into a bloody pulp by the small girl seated on her chest. Seeing that the henchwoman was completely defeated, the girl scuttled on all fours towards the Urban Ninja.
"You're..." The Urban Ninja clutched one of the many bruised and pained areas on her body. "You're that fighter I saw earlier...Monkey Rouge?" The little red-head nodded, her large eyes wide and alert. "But how...why?" began the ninja. Monkey pointed at a now-empty bed, and then raised one of the electrical prods before smashing it on the floor.
"I see," said the Ninja. "You had only just come around since your match...thank you, I..." The Ninja began to stand, and Monkey quickly helped her keep her balance.
Kimimela peered into the room. "Did you find what you need? It looks like it's time for us to get out of here. Is she with us?" She gestured at Monkey.
"Yes..." answered the Ninja. "I found the information I needed, let's disappear."
The three fighters quickly exited the building, still in their fighting attire as they approached a car hidden in a nearby alleyway. They got inside, Kimimela taking the driver's seat.
"Herrington WAS involved," said the Ninja. "Using...KadeTech and something else...a miracle of healing, followed by a crime of brainwashing."
"So what about Lalita?" asked Kimimela. "The girl's a lot stronger than before she was 'fixed up' in that place."
"She awoke before the brainwashing process could be...applied," said the Ninja. "Now she can know exactly what has been done to her body."
"What about the monkey girl?" Kimimela peered in the rearview mirror.
The Urban Ninja turned to look at Monkey Rouge, who returned the look with an attentive stare. After a moment, the Ninja said, "...can you keep a secret?"
