School of Hard Knock-Ups Pt. 01

"Hoho, please don't flatter me like that, dear. Though I have lost some weight, the spring pounds have just been falling off lately," Grenda admits with a chuckle, fanning herself with a paw, "Though you remember the rules, yes? No healing or killing spells, items, or anything that is not a skill or ability. In the event you lose and are Chosen, you will belong to the victor for a week, and will be subject to whatever sexual advances they make upon you. This does not include abuse or violence, though they will be able to mate you and leave you with the child if they chose to."

"Yeah, I know all of this already. Thanks for the refresher, but I should be alright. Not planning to lose, especially if Heisuke is joining. Can't let him show me up, can I?" Teilun asks with a smile and a chuckle of her own, making the Gerbin woman shake her head a bit in soft disappointment.

"Well, you're all registered. I keep a copy of your info, just for registering you. We meet often enough, it makes my job a fair bit easier," Grenda says with a neutral expression, writing down a few more things before handing Teilun a pass with a number written onto it, "This is your number, you will be called up when you are due to fight. Stay safe, dear."

"When am I ever not safe, Grenda?" she says, accepting the offered pass and starting to make her way to the combatant's resting area, not noticing the concerned expression on the Gerbin's face.

Taking a seat once she reaches the chairs seated in the lobby, Teilun leans back and sighs as she considers what she has experienced today so far, realizing that there may be a chance of her battling Heisuke later on in the tournament, "I hope I don't hurt him too badly...he's been a great friend."

Sighing again, Teilun decides to look over the attending people, her eyes lazily taking in their details and committing the stronger appearing ones to memory, though none seem to outright impress her. Shrugging once she realizes that no one else appears to be a threat to her predicted victory, she stands and makes her way towards the vending machine that a few others are milling about nearby.

Inserting a few Howlers into the machine, she presses the buttons on the side panel before a plastic bottle filled with a red liquid, a smile coming to Teilun's face as she reads the label, "Ah yes, Redberry Crunch soda. 'Now with extra flavor.' Gods, that's so cheesy, but I love it."

Twisting the plastic cap off of it, she grins at the smell that wafts up and into her nose, sighing happily before taking a large gulp, her ears perking as she hears a familiar buzz ring through the air, "Attention, combatants and attendees! Registration is now closed, and the matches will be announced momentarily! Please refer to the displays provided in the lobby to see the matchups!"

"Oh, sweet! Let's see who I'm fighting first!" Teilun cheers, earning a couple of confused glances from nearby spectators as she hurries to see the displays. Once she reaches them, she stops to excitedly look over them, humming softly until she sees where she is on the matchups, "Okay, so...I don't recognize the name of the first guy I'm fighting. Heisuke is in the other bracket, so no chance of fighting him. Aw shit, Kanemaru is in my bracket...the sleazy fuck better pray he doesn't wind up fighting me."

Scoffing, Teilun rolls her eyes and growls softly before she heads towards the stands, intending to watch the battles in the arena that her bracket is using, wishing to glean some information on any potential threats to her victory. The announcer declares that the match will begin shortly, and she settles into her seat for the long haul.

=====

"Alright...I'm up next," Heisuke mutters to himself, seated in the back room used to allow the upcoming fighters to rest and prepare for the match, "I just need to win five battles...that's all. Just five victories and I can prove myself to her. I will win. I need to win."

He lets out a yelp of surprise as the door abruptly opens, a Dire-Nightvar member of security poking his head in and giving an apologetic smile, an earpiece secured to his long ears, "Sorry if I startled you, buddy. You're up now. You ready?"

"Y-yeah, I'm ready. It's okay, I'm just a bit nervous. U-um...do you...know how Teilun has been doing in her matches?" Heisuke inquires with a tilt of his head as he stands, grasping his tall, blackwood staff and holding it similarly to a walking stick, the large tiger's eye gemstone atop it shining softly in the light from the masterful polishing it received.

"Oh, the Bloodfang girl? She's won two matches already. Gotta say, that bracket is terrifying to witness. I wouldn't worry about her yet though, you still have this match and four others before you have a chance of facing that juggernaut," the bouncer says with a chuckle, gesturing for Heisuke to follow behind him.

Deciding that doing so is likely the wise option, Heisuke trails behind the bouncer and exits the room, following silently until they reach a large door, a plaque reading 'Arena 2' stamped to the steel barricade, "Alright, here we are. Just head inside, and wait for the announcer to...well, announce you. Good luck."

"G-got it. Thank you for your help," he says, opening the door and stepping through. Immediately spotting the exit into the main arena atop a set of stairs along with the seat that was provided for fighters to use in the event of delays. Stepping up to the gate, he peers through the bars to get a glimpse of his opponent, gulping softly as he spots a large, muscular Dragon-kin leaning against the wall beside his gate, "Oh, t-that is a big lizard..."

Taking a step back, Heisuke takes a few deep breaths in and out, focusing on his goals and his training, the desire to have the chance to be with Teilun, along with her recognizing his efforts. This overgrown gecko wasn't going to stand in the way of his dreams!

"No...I'm done cowering. I'm not going to let this slip through my fingers."

Jumping slightly as a buzz is heard, Heisuke looks around for a moment before he hears the announcer's voice, the male's deep, professional tone popular with many of the locals, "Welcome, everyone, to this year's Mating Tournament! I'm sure you're all excited to see yet another match, where two fighters will battle to see who is the strongest, and most deserving, of a mate!"

"Well, yeah...none of us would be here if we didn't know that already," Heisuke mutters, rolling his eyes before falling silent to let the announcer continue.

"On one side, we have the beefcake who has been a returning player for a number of years now, his size and ability to toss his opponents clear across the ring becoming a thing of local legend. I introduce to you all the one, the only, Horace Windripper!"

The Dragon-kin lets out a fierce roar as the gate opens, flapping his wings and soaring into the air for a number of moments before landing at his starting position, great-sword drawn and ready for battle. Despite the imposing image, Heisuke finds himself shaking. Not with fear, but rather with laughter.

"W-Windripper? I b-bet he smells terrible," he laughs to himself with heaving movements, using his free arm to hold his pained stomach, "I c-can't! This is too funny!"

"On the other side, we have a new combatant who has never been here to fight before! He is a student from the College of Blackheart, a prestigious mage's school located in the capital of Vampirica, Windshear! I give to you, Heisuke Earthenguard!"

Startling again as the door opens, Heisuke calms himself before stepping out into the arena, glancing over the audience in the hopes of spotting Teilun. Once realizing she is not present, Heisuke sighs to himself and turns his gaze towards his opponent. The Dragon-kin smirks at the smaller being, chuckling as he takes in Heisuke's appearance, "Really? You thought a shrimp like you could win a tournament of the strongest? You can still give up, you know. It's not too late to admit you can't win. I'd hate to hospitalize such a puny weakling because he's too stupid to know when he's beat."

"Keep talking, you hot air balloon. Thing is, I'm going to be the one to burst that bubble," Heisuke responds, surprising himself with how confidently he made that statement.

'I can do this...I can! You aren't keeping me from Teilun!'

"I'll make you eat those words, puny pup," Horace says with a grin, though he does seem impressed by Heisuke's bravery, a glimmer of respect in his eyes, "You know the match has already started, right?"

Heisuke's eyes widen as the Dragon-kin flaps his large wings, launching himself forwards and towards the short Nightvar, making him yelp softly before a large portion of the sand shifts, and a small pillar of stone shoots directly into Horace's stomach, "Yeah, I-I did! You're the one who let down your guard!"

"Urgh! Cheap shot, shorty!" Horace growls out with a grimace, smashing the pillar with a punch before taking to the air and flying around in circles, his large sword held in a single hand, "Good luck hitting me from all the way down there, hahaaaa!"

"Oh g-gosh, he's pretty high up...oh well, I wanted to just knock him out or restrain him," Heisuke says with a sigh, his back straightening and his posture shifting to a more confident stance, the Dragon-kin's eyes narrowing in suspicion at the change in demeanor.

"What is he...? Oh, shit!" Horace growls in surprise as the tiger's eye atop Heisuke's staff rockets off of the wooden staff and directly at him, causing him to flap his wings harder in panic, "What the hell is that magic!?"

Eyes wide in stoic determination, Heisuke lets his training kick in, the entire arena seeming to shift as the sand ripples in waves and tremors. A loud cry of pain is accompanied by a crack that echoes through the arena air, the tiger's eye impacting the Dragon-kin's wing and clearly breaking it at the joint, sending him hurtling towards the arena floor.

Heisuke grits his teeth, narrowing his eyes and throwing both his hands forwards, shouting out in exertion as hundreds of earthen shards erupt from the sands, each of them aimed directly at Horace in a seemingly unending barrage of attacks. Shielding himself with his arms does little to protect the fire-breathing creature from the many stone projectiles, each one chipping away at his natural protections and drawing blood across his arms and chest as his descent slows from the force of the attacks.

Letting him fall to the ground entirely as the larger combatant reaches about ten feet off of the ground, the reptile falls to the sands with a loud thud, followed by another thud as the tiger's eye orb slams into his back. The crystalline formation holds the large male to the sands as bindings of stone wrap around Horace's arms and legs, the crowd going wild from the spectacle.

"I do believe that's the end of it, folks! That was an amazing performance! A brand new combatant, coming out of the gate swinging harder than a dragon! Give it up for the winner, Heisuke Earthenguard!"

The crowd erupts into even louder roars, the hundreds of spectators having loved the brief battle, and Heisuke blushes softly under all the attention as the adrenaline begins to wear off. Releasing the bonds around his opponent's limbs, Heisuke also recalls his tiger's eye orb, the large crystal returning to the top of his staff, "I did it...oh, I'm so glad that the Head Scribe's training worked."

Heisuke waves to the audience and smiles happily at them for a few moments as he makes his way back to his gate, sparing a glance behind him to witness Horace being loaded onto a stretcher. Sighing in relief at how easy his battle was, Heisuke's eyes narrow as he exits the arena, determined to see this through to the end.

"I hope you saw that, Teilun. I just hope she accepts my affections..."

=====

"Gods damn it, Kanemaru won again...fucking prick," Teilun grumbles to herself as she witnesses him defeat his third opponent, the experienced swordfighter wasting no time in taking down his opponents, and has been giving her looks that remind her a tad too much of the looks he used to give her mother, "I swear, if he's doing this to try and get into my pants, or blackmail my mother..."

The older male bows to the crowd in a display of showboating that makes Teilun nearly sick to her stomach, turning her off from the barbequed meat skewers in her hands. She scoffs in annoyance, standing before vacating the stands for Arena 1 and back into the lobby, "Let's see who I'm fighting next. Hm...Vorkin Dreadblade? Oh gods, not this stupid fuck again...poor, dumb pooch can't even figure out how to hold his blade properly after a decade."

Chuckling to herself at her own joke, Teilun continues to look over the remaining names in a desire to quell her irritation, a hand resting on her hip. Eyes widening as she reads a familiar name, she nearly drops her skewers in surprise, jaw dropping as she takes in the sight, "H-Heisuke won three fights? In a row? He beat Horace? Bloodstreak too? Oliver is no surprise, but the other two are actually competent fighters...how strong has he gotten?"

Her eyes look over to her side of the bracket, shuddering as she realizes that she has to fight Kanemaru now due to his victory, growling at the idea of being Chosen by him, "I'm going to kick his ass, and make him regret ever thinking about messing with me or my family."

Heading towards the resting room, Teilun doesn't spot Heisuke exiting from his side of the arena, his eyes filled with affection as he watches her walk away.

=====

"Alright, I just have to beat up a creepy perv who has tried to flirt with my mom for a decade, then fight whoever beats Heisuke before I win," Teilun says to herself, gazing out of the arena gate and towards Kanemaru, the older Nightvar giving her a wink. She shudders in disgust, then turns her gaze away to adjust her arm wraps, the layered, spiked steel caestus she is armed with glittering softly in the sunlight on her hands, clearly a brand new weapon, "I normally don't use these in tournaments, but it's legal. I'm gonna neuter this fucker."

"Hello again, everybody! Welcome back to the semi-finals of the Mating Tournament, and the finals for A bracket! On one side, a fan favorite that has been around in these games for even longer than I have! A renowned swordsman, he has served the Wolvarian Crown for centuries, winning tournament after tournament over the years! I give you, Kanemaru Wilters!"

The crowd seems divided, some cheering him on with raucous applause, while others loudly boo him, the male stepping out from his now open gate to give another dramatic bow, along with a flourish of his sword.

"Geh, cocky jerk..." Teilun mutters to herself, unimpressed with the flashy display that left his defenses wide open, "Not even wearing much armor, either."

"On the other, we have another known regular competing against him! This member of the Bloody Fist is a repeated tournament destroyer, rendering all who stand against her into whimpering children! The Bloody Beast! The Skullcrusher! Teilun Bloodfang!"

The cheers that she receives far outweighs Kanemaru's, the known combatant clearly having garnered a larger fan following, stepping out onto the sands and grinning viciously as she prepares to lay down the pain, "You're going down, asshole."

"Now, now. That is no way for a proper lady to speak. Do not worry though, my dear, I shall turn you into a proper mate in the week I have you once I win and make you my Chosen," Kanemaru brags, sliding a foot forwards and leveling his blade towards her, "It will be a great pleasure to claim you."

"In your fucking dreams," she replies, raising her middle finger and sticking her tongue out, making Kanemaru chuckle in amusement, "You think that's funny, huh? You won't be laughing when I make sure you never breed again!"

"Dreams often do not reflect reality, my dear. You believe you will defeat me, do you? Then let us see who is the victor."

Dashing forwards, Kanemaru draws his blade back in preparation to strike, Teilun growling in anger at him as he approaches. Swinging his blade towards her chest, Teilun's eyes widen, and she narrowly avoids the strike by stepping backwards. Pressing his advantage, the male takes several more swings at Teilun in rapid succession, each one aiming for the cloth covering her chest, making her grow angrier as time goes on.

"Stop trying to get a look at my tits, you fucking pervert!" Teilun shouts as she catches his sword between the spikes on her caestus, parrying a swing and throwing him off balance before throwing a right hook into the side of his ribs, earning a grunt of pain as the spikes pierce his skin and armor.

Growling in irritation, he grasps her arm before attempting to wrench it away from him, though he is forced to protect himself as Teilun throws several more punches at various parts of his body, drawing blood and making enough of it paint the sands to cause the audience to flinch in something resembling sympathy.

"You think you can just take me!?" Teilun practically screams, driving another blow into his stomach, the pained male groaning as he steps back, reaching into a pouch worn on his belt, "Me!? You think you can make me submit to you!?" Another scream, another blow, this time to his unguarded leg, "Never! I will die before I let you have me, you fucking scumbag!"

Caught off guard due to her rage, Teilun doesn't notice the glowing blue crystal that Kanemaru withdraws from his pouch, growling and gritting his teeth as he slams it into the nearly feral woman's side. It shatters, and ice quickly begins to grow and form over her body, freezing her legs to the sands and encasing her up to her neck in a thick layer of ice.

"Y-you damn brat...I didn't want to use that unless I had no choice," he growls out at her, then smiles smugly as he stands up straight, blood staining his previously pristine clothing. He steps closer to her with slow, intent steps, gazing over her body, which is still visible through the layer of ice, "Although...I must say, you really do remind me of your mother. I knew her when we were young, she always was a fierce woman."

"Yeah, and she hates your guts even more than I do, you sick fuck!" Teilun shouts at Kanemaru, tensing her muscles in an attempt to break free, growling as Kanemaru reaches her, grasping the lower half of her muzzle with a hand as he leans in close to her, "Kiss me, and I'll bite your damn lips off."

"Oh, I can't do anything like that, my dear. Not here, anyways. You remember the rules, no sexual activities of any kind during matches, but that won't be a problem once you're my Chosen," he says, murring softly as he looks her over, his smile growing as the look in his eyes grows lustful, "I can not wait to see you writhing on my cock, Teilun. You'll make a wonderful brood mother for my pups."

"Y-you piece of shit..." Teilun trails off with a shudder, the cold of her temporary prison seeping through her armor and clothing, chilling her fur and flesh, "You're n-not getting any children f-from me!"

"Oh my, so excited that you can not even speak properly. Well, I think I may be able to tell you something that should warm your heart even more!" Kanemaru says with a sickeningly sweet voice, malice dripping from his every word once he leans closer, and whispers into her ear, "After I'm done with you, and I get all the pups I want, I may just sell you off like I did with Kura."

Teilun's eyes snap wide open, the smug Nightvar holding her not noticing her eyes glowing red, a fury burning within her unlike any she has felt before. Her body begins to burn with enough warmth to ward off the cold of the ice, small cracks growing in the ice encasing her as her muscles move with newfound strength.

"Mom? Where is Kura? I can't find her anywhere..."