Chapter Text
The Outlook was filled with pre-show buzz when Uzi got there. The lights were already dimmed so that the windows would be bright and clear.
Uzi was only a little early for the show. And this time she was not surprised to find Lizzy and Doll at V’s cage.
“Hey.” Uzi greeted.
“Sup, Loser. Ready to watch V hand Sidney’s smug smile back to her?” She rolled a battery treat across the floor of the cage for V to pounce on.
“You’re pretty confident that V will win,” Uzi said.
“Course I am.” Lizzy frowned, and for a moment Uzi saw the hint of worry. “B is a brute, but V isn’t a loser.”
“Trying to give your drone a leg up?” A high voice heralded Sidney’s arrival at the outlook. “Honestly. Lizzy, you’re just making yourself look desperate.”
Lizzy tensed, but turned around to show a lofty smile. “So glad you could make it, Sidney. Suzan.”
V hissed at the newcomers.
“Why’s she here?” Uzi asked Doll in a whisper. “Thought opposing teams weren’t allowed in here?”
“Lizzy invited them,” Doll said. “To see them lose. And they will.” There was no waiver of confidence from Doll.
“So this is the little thing that’s supposed to take down B.” Suzan stepped close to V’s cage. “Wonder how long she will make it. The last one didn’t survive more than a minute.”
V gave a feint attack at Suzan, but she was unfased. “Looks like all bluster and bluff.”
“Trust me, it’s not,” Lizzy said. “Shall we?” She gestured to the stairs.
“Sure,” Sidney agreed. “Hope you have some tissues ready, you’re about to loose your pet.”
Like before, there was a setup already waiting for them on the landing. But this time it was twice as big, a second couch for the extra guests and proper folding tables for refreshments. Rather than crowed all three lead trainers together, Melvin was stationed at Lexia’s stand. Most of the yellow-banded trainers were watching from downstairs, their drone not involved in todays events. Lexia was up here sitting at the coordinator’s booth.
The girls had a third of the Outlook’s loft to themselves.
“I see what you mean,” Sidney said as she got comfortable, “this is a good view.”
“Get V ready,” Adrian called to their team. The trainers stationed below began to direct her to the release chamber.
“Goooood Afternoon Everybody!” Javier called out across his mic. “Tonight, we have the biggest events of the season! The clash of the Champions, the fight between rival Disassembly Drones, and of course, the Grand Dual of the Colonies!” He was quick to get the crowed hyped up.
“We are less than thirty minutes from the opening act, so be quick or miss out!”
There wasn’t room in the stands to spare. Uzi thought she’d seen a full stadium, but now the difference was clear. No longer was there a cluster of eyes watching, it was just a singular mass. Millions of eyes from drones so close together it all blurred together.
“How are the subscriptions?” Amanda asked her cohorts. The Master of the Ring was impassive as ever.
“Looking good so far,” James said. “We’ll probably double on the dot, then get a good stream in during the opening ceremony. Should be a profitable night for such a small opponent.”
“Excuse me?” Sidney caught on to that last bit.
“Don’t sweat it,” Lizzy said, “We go against all the colonies. You know you’re one of the smaller colonies, just own it.”
“Doesn’t have to be rude about it,” Sidney crossed her arms. A butler was quick to bring her some candied batteries.
The show finally began with a presentation of the Colonies. Flag bearers brought forth massive tapestries with their Colonies’ insignia. The competing Champions all Filed out. Because Sunscraper only had three Champion Gladiators, there would only be three duals between the Murder Drone fights. It was no less a big deal. Thad had blown up her phone yesterday with predictions and concerns.
Uzi wished she wanted him to have his chance in their place. She had a hard time looking at the Champions with respect after witnessing the Champion tournament. They were supposed to be the heroes that guarded the scavenger parties and travelers on the surface. Did they ever actually risk their live out there?
With the two colonies given their dues, Javier opened the first round of betting, the Murder Drone duel between B and V.
“Here we go,” Jones celebrated as the numbers came in. “Been too long since we’ve had a proper verses.”
“Where’s it at?” Sidney demanded.
“It’s changin’ fast, deary. Close though, considering this is a house tournament. You’ll rarely see a house drone betted out by a guest, but that’s just because o’ biases. You’re has a good showing, I’ll say that. Musta made an impression at the feat.”
Her smile was very smug as Sidney relaxed back into her couch.
To give betters ample time to bid, there was a silent performance going on in the field. A life sized puppet of a Murder Drone was controlled by five Workers in black. A lead drone in costume faced off against her wile background performers danced to a live orchestra.
“Is that supposed to be J?” Uzi asked.
“Hm?” Lizzy looked up from her phone. “Oh yeah, it’s the Dance of Death. The show’s outdated.”
“Ooooh, isn’t that the one about how your grandfather died, Lizzy?” Sidney exaggerated her sympathy.
“Yep.”
Uzi’s never seen the famed performance of The Dance of Death, but she know how the story went. It was a big part of the Ice Bunker’s history.
Lord Lycan was nicknamed Lord of the Murder Drones, for her was the first to capture and use them in the arena. Or what predated the arena, at least. At the height of his power, he became so confident of his control over the Disassemblers that he proclaimed that he would ride one, and no drone would ever challenge him again.
The extras below played the parts of wranglers and gladiators, holding J down so that Lord Lycan could get purchase on her back. They let go, and for a grand moment the Lord of the Ice Bunker was triumphant. The Puppeteers flew him around in a large lap. And then things took a turn.
Dancing slowly, the puppeteers molded J into a barrel roll, throwing Lord Lycan off balance. She twisted around and grabbed him with foam claws. The supporting actors helped him fall as though her were plummeting from a great height, his favorite Disassembler falling with him. And then they pulled him apart in a scattering of props.
Uzi wondered how accurate the depiction was.
“Alright everybody, get your final votes in! Because it. Is. Showtime!!!” The crowed cheered and bombastic music played while the performers cleared out.
“Time to loose, Lizzy.”
“You wish, pipsqueak.”
The arena went silent, the stands went black.
Ladies and Gentledrones, we bring to you the battle of feral beasts, the match of monsters, the dual of Disassembly Drones B and V!”
The covers to the opposing drones’ cages lifted up to a delighted crowed.
“Coming from across the surface city is B! A mega female Disassembler known to make opponents cower. But our home girl V has a legacy of savaging those who face her. Who will come out on top today? There is only one way to find out.”
“Timer go,” James stated as he pressed a control.
The Jumbotron entered a ten second countdown.
“At the ready,” Adrian called out.
“You’ve got this V.” Lizzy said to herself, lowering her phone for good. Uzi only heard because of their proximity.
Three. Two. One.
Both cages opened simultaneously, and two Murder Drones shot out into the Arena.
B was quick to take center stage, roaring loud to announce her presence. V flicked to the side, opting to circle rather than confront.
It caught B’s attention. She hovered in place as she watched V’s movements. She growled low and glared at V.
“B’s not a fan of drones who don’t submit right away,” Susan said helpfully.
V called out to B in a taunt and began to fly closer, just enough to rile her up.
B roared and pumped her wings to gain height on V. Then she lunged.
V dodged, using the opening of B’s lunge to swipe at her with a tail strike. It only landed a hairline scratch on B’s side, but it was enough to make the other drone angry.
After making one more swipe at V, B dove. She landed on the sand, choosing to take her stand on the ground. She stood up on her hind legs, daring V to get close.
V accepted the dare. Though she could no longer get under B, she kept her air advantage and made a swooping attack. B deflected, but didn’t have time to counterstrike before V was in the air again.
For a while, that’s how the game played out. B held her ground and waited for V to come to her, while V tried to find openings in her defense. V got a few nicks in, but the oil she drew wasn’t enough to do anything but annoy B. She was playing cautious.
Finally, V made a direct attack. She landed on B’s shoulders and dug her claws into her chassis. B grabbed V and pulled her over her head to slam her to the ground, but V used the awkward hold to twist and strike B in the gut, then fly out from under her.
That caused B to stumble, though she looked more surprised than hurt. With a snarl she swiped at V, but the smaller drone was already out of reach.
V knows she can’t afford a hit, Uzi put together. But she can’t draw this out forever.
V dove in for another strike, but she had to pull away without making a hit when B struck out with her black blades. She managed to get a scratch this time.
Emboldened, or tired of waiting around, B began to give chase. With a hiss V evaded her. Her large wings gave her an advantage over B, letting her turn at sharp angles and shift her momentum. B didn’t bother with fancy maneuvers, focusing on getting a hold on V.
With B in the air again, V tried to strike at her soft spots. But every hit was a risk. When she tried to claw B’s side, B made the sudden move of diving into V’s attack and throwing them both off balance. Grabbing onto V before she could slip away, B used her weight to drop them to the ground.
Before V could writhe away again, B bit down on the left joint where her wing met her shoulder, the splitting crack informing all that the wound was deep. V screeched, then twisted to deliver a flurry of strikes directly in B’s face. Her kicking and scratching got B to let go, and she darted forward.
A growl from inside the outlook made Uzi look down. N was trained on the fight with a stiff stance.
“Don’t worry, buddy,” One of his trainers said. “You’ll get your turn out there.”
While V was successful in throwing B off and leaving a sizable gouge across her eyes, she was not clear of her. B slammed her full weight down on V’s right wing before she could fly out of reach, letting her left flap disproportionately.
While pinned, V had her arms and tail free to strike back. She landed a deep strike on B’s arm with her tail, and used her swords to stop her from attacking her core.
With a roar, B wrapped her hands around the feather blades of V’s wing, then stood onto her hind legs and swung. She flung V up and back down into the dirt easily. V scrambled to pull away, but B repeated the movement in reverse. On the third throw, B tore two feathers from V’s wing and sent her flying across the arena. Long trails of oil streaked from the feathers.
V tumbled into a heap, leaving a long skid mark in the sand. B didn’t give her any time to get her bearings before charging at her. V was fast even after that beating and rolled out of the way. She took to the air to put some distance between them, but with her right feathers messed up and her left wing bleeding from the bite, she didn’t have the same advantage as before. She had to work to stay ahead, and just barely.
The acid in B’s left arm left a sizable hole, forcing her to favor it as she tried to claw at V.
V managed to flip above B and land on her to rake her claws down her back. B roared and rolled. V tried to get away, but her damaged wings didn’t let her. B threw her to the ground. Hard.
Landing next to one of her own feather blades, V staggered and curled into herself.
B dove to for a finishing strike, claws outstretched.
At the last second, V flashed forward and flattened herself to the ground, right under B’s claws.
A long, curved, silver blade protruded through B’s chest. She looked down and the flow of oil falling onto her opponent. V had grabbed her lost feather, planted one end in the sand, and let B impale herself on it. She was nearly buried in the sand to stop from being crushed herself.
With B momentarily stunned, V slipped out from under her. B half tried to swipe, but staggered over the blade in her chest. Moving quickly, V flapped over B and grabbed the protruding blade. She planted her legs on B’s back and pulled, screeching a triumphant call.
B’s roar of pain came out in a gurgle of oil as V ripped the feather through. She tried to grab V, but the damage was done.
V was able to avoid the clumsy swipes and strike herself, no longer too scared to get close. She slashed at B with her swords with a snarl, and B responded by shielding herself with her wings. V did not let up. She fluttered over B again, swapping out her swords for her claws to further the damage on her face.
B batted at her, but only got one hit that pushed V away. And it was only enough to make V come at her side again, attempting to stick her with claws and tail. All B could do was stagger out of the way. She held her wounded arm to the hole in her chest, and gave a whine.
That was a signal to V, she flared her roughed up wings and rushed B. B retreated. At first it was a few staggered steps backwards, but then she turned and flew for the safety of her cage. The bars slammed down, stopping V’s pursuit.
The match was over.