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Oh dear god, what was happening?

Apparently Ares had warmed up a little to hastily. Her arms had been tired, sure, but even she was surprised by the round asskicking that she was currently receiving. Her aim for the kidneys was undermined the second that Nemesis flipped her to her back. The resulting punch struck her so hard that Ares saw spots.

One part of her was impressed... but all other parts of her were livid.

Letting out a roar, Ares headbutted Nemesis and then followed it up with a one-two punch at her jaw.



HP: 7 - 4 = 3

Ares had yet to land a punch on her, and Nemesis was living it up. She wondered if this was what people felt like when they were struck by cupid's arrow - she loved kicking Ares' a** just that much. The senshi was far more perceptive in this battle than she usually was. Perhaps she was learning something, or perhaps she had fought with Ares enough to predict some of the senshi's next movements. Nemesis saw the headbutt without a second to spare, lifting herself out of Ares' range.

She was quickly becoming breathless, but that wasn't going to stop her. Ares' roaring at her was exhilarating, this little exhibition was giving Nemesis all the right vibes. She was showing everyone that she could best their leader even with an imposed handicap. The senshi was quick to move, and true to style, she loved aiming for Ares' face. If she ended up losing this fight, she at least hoped Ares walked out of it with a few good bruises. She threw another brutal punch at Ares' face, slower than her opponent, and unable to throw one-two punches like Ares' could.

But she sure seemed capable of making up for it.

(( HP: 12

"Well, that's what we're here for," Birhan shrugged, tugging at her braid with one hand. "We'll make sure everyone learns what they need to, in order to fight the Negaverse. And hey, a cool power is nothing to sneeze at!" God knew Birhan would be keeping just as close an eye on powers worth 'renewing' in battle as she would be on the hard-hitters who could match (or, god forbid, beat) her own physical fighting abilities.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as Ares and Nemesis only seemed to be getting more vicious as they went on. And Nemesis was under Ares' wing? Birhan didn't need a trainee like that, no thank you.

Requiem received an encouraging grin and a clap on the shoulder (not too hard, she was only a little thing, after all). "Sure! We'll train you up to kick some a**, and the Negaverse will still just see a little girl in lace and think you rely on only your powers. More fools them, huh?" Birhan grinned.

She nodded as Requiem adjusted her jabs and punches. "That's the spirit. Practise makes perfect, but you've got a good head on you and you adjust well. Plus, it's not like we're trying to turn you into a mini-Nemesis or some super a**-kicking blackbelt. We're just... making you a more deadly version of you." Birham gave a pleased smile, glad to have that sorted out in her head. Blood Moon didn't need clones (and no one wanted more than one Nemesis), it was just about maxmising what they had and making sure everyone was the Best They Could Be.

The question of pain had Birhan sobering up. Requiem got to see Birhan's serious face as Birhan gave the smaller senshi a searching look. "Mmm. I won't sugar coat it, yeah, it'll hurt. Like anything, if you're not feeling any pain, you aren't putting enough in to get anything out of it. Of course," she continued, pulling a face, "if it hurts TOO much, you're just doing it wrong."

She gave Requiem a sincere smile. With a pat on the arm, she said, "Don't worry. We're here to make sure you don't do it wrong. And that's why you start off with gloves and punching bags before you move onto jaws or heads. Got to toughen your fists up, too, not just your muscles."

When Ares lost (Birhan tried not to gape), the redhead looked around to see if Sirius and Euterpe were ready. "If those two aren't ready to go, how about we jump in?" she 'suggested' to Requiem. (It was rather obvious that it wasn't really a suggestion at all.) "Time to throw you in the deep end after all?"

Nemesis knew when to stop, the first time they had sparred she had carried it on for a little too long, and she was more careful now to respect the rules of the fight. Ares had given up the battle, and though Nemesis wished it could have been prolonged just a small while longer... she accepted it. Nemesis backed off of Ares, removing her glove with the aid of her teeth, and then freeing the arm at her side. There was a smile on her face that could only be earned by seeing Ares sulking in a corner.

Nemesis had just humiliated Ares in front of her own Court. It was a brilliant feeling, and Nemesis would be sure to rub it in later. Right now, she'd be nice enough to give Ares a bit of a reprieve. The queen needed time to sulk, of course. But, Nemesis' haughty nature would never be tamed now. No, she had gotten the best of Ares once, and a few times more, and she was only going to keep on challenging Ares until the BMC leader was irrefutably the better of her.

Right now, Nemesis thought that it was still up for debate. The Senshi of Decay tossed her gloves down onto the ring, hopping out of it effortlessly. She was winded, but like hell she'd show it. No, she was going to look like she was ready to go for a second round. She had beaten Ares with a handicap, and wasn't even tired. Or, at least, that was the impression she wanted to give everyone.

"Maybe you'll get lucky next time, Ares. Who knows?" she teased.

When Zirconia approached, Ares stiffened. She didn't like people to know it got to her, but the senshi of smoke was a terrible loser. She always had been. Already she was conducting a new training schedule in her head. Clearly, she had not been working hard enough. Clearly, she had gotten lazy. Working out once a day was no longer enough. She should do it in the mornings, at lunch, before patrols. Her heads was filled with a long list of things that were necessary for improving herself.

Her eyes fell briefly to the cat. "No need to watch the door anymore," she said briskly. "All the cadets are here. The others know where to go." A moment of silence lapsed. Ares watched Nemesis get out of the ring and then looked back to the cat. Zirconia and Ares had never been particularly close, but Ares cared for the purple guardian cat. She just had a terrible time showing it. One hand reached out as if to pet her, slowly -- and then froze when Nemesis spoke.

"You're right. You did get lucky, Nemesis," she responded. "Don't be late next time." They both knew that was a hollow request. Ares wanted a rematch so badly she almost wished the senshi of decay would be.

Ares gave Zirc one more conflicted look and then moved back to the ring. She slapped the springy surface with an open palm. "Come on, don't wait. Somebody get in the ring or else we'll run sprints." A hand pointed at Euterpe. "You're not off the hook! You still have to go before we wrap up, cadet." There were no grins from Ares, not then. She was still sore about losing.

"I don't know, I could survive with another Nemesis," she answered suddenly to Euterpe. Of course, another Nemesis was just as likely to drive the current Nemesis crazy. There was only room for one of her type of character, and Nemesis would forever have that spot filled. She'd chew up and spit out anyone who tried to rise against her. The only people she still considered above herself was Pegasus, and just slightly Ares. The parallel senshi had been knocked down a few knobs on Nemesis' ladder of hierarchy.

"We both know that wasn't luck," Nemesis purred, rising to Ares' small challenge. It seemed like the Senshi of Decay would not let many things get past her. She certainly wasn't going to allow Ares to somehow rob her of her glory. This had been her win, and both Ares and herself knew that the fight had been fair. Ares had been tuckered out, Nemesis did not have the use of one of her arms.

"Any time you're up for it, hotshot!" she called to Scylla, lifting a cocky arm into the air. Nemesis was confident she would win. The only thing that would lower her self-esteem now was actually getting beaten. Maybe, if they were lucky, in time she'd stop being so cocky over this win. "I also came in with only one arm. I say it was pretty fair."

She would not allow Ares to be comforted, not while she was standing by.

Scylla grinned, and stepped into the ring. "Alrighty," she purred to the other Senshi, and lifted the boxing gloves in one hand. "If you're sure. I can let you rest, you know." Jada had never been much of a boxer, but she'd learned a few things from Drew and just being a senshi. Something about the Sailor Suit, maybe, it just summoned trouble.

She wouldn't call herself hotshot, by any means. She was just overly cocky.

She moved to one corner of the ring, waiting for Nemesis to get in and get her gloves on.

Ah, okay. Scylla pulled off the gloves easily when Requiem moved towards the ring. "We'll let you rest up a bit there, Nemesis." she gave the other senshi a grin. "Let Requiem have it." She could give up her chance at sparring for now.