And Then There Were Three...

[polyturtle]

WHO | Arena 3's Dream Team (Ariadne and Don) and Alex Rider
WHAT | Its the end of the Arena with three left! But just when the identity of the Victor looks certain, a shocking twist occurs!
WHEN | Day 10
WHERE | S4
WARNINGS / NOTES | DEEEEEATH


He'd kept count. Tried to. If he was right, there was only three left. Himself, Ariadne, and one more. Which meant that victory was so close.

It made him a bit nervous, and Don didn't sleep that last night. He hadn't kept track of exactly who it was that was left. Would he be strong enough to save Ariadne again from whoever it was? And if he was, how would he get Ariadne out as Victor? Would he have to fight her? Fake out of the fight? What was he going to do?

Very quietly he began to gather his weapons - the machete, the kanbo, his last spear. Today was going to be the end. He could feel it in his bones, that thing which Master Splinter called a feeling of premonition. Out of the four of his brothers, Don was decidedly the least connected to his spiritual side. But as he walked out of the tent, he couldn't help but feel a shiver.'

He was not looking forward to today. But there was no more delaying the inevitable. Today his arena alliance with Ariadne would - one way or another - come to an end.

Comments

[polyturtle]

"That's because you didn't face me."

And quick as lightning, he advanced, as if to swing his weapon - but at the last moment shot his knee up to get him in between the legs.

Alex could make all the quips he wanted, because as far as he was concerned, Donatello was through talking.

[luckofthedevil]

An inexperienced fighter would have fallen for the feint. Alex almost missed it, due to the difficultly of trying to read someone in a shell, but he shifted just in time and jabbed at Donatello's leg with the butt of his spear.

[polyturtle]

He felt nothing. Or if he did, he ignored it. His mind was on one thing only, and that was to destroy this other person, this opponent. So that kanabo was going from feint to the real thing, even as the spear butted his leg.

[luckofthedevil]

Alex felt ribs crack as the weapon struck his side, a sensation he was not fond of. And those spikes in it... well, that didn't help either. The force of the blow knocked him back a couple meters, but he managed to stay on his feet. Alex whipped the spear around, trying to use it's length to slash at the arm holding the studded club.

[polyturtle]

The spear slashed him. Not deeply, but he bled.

It only made him even angrier. It only made him see more red. Instantly he went forward, to grab at Alex's shoulders. If he was successful, well - there was a headbutt coming. And it would hurt.

Just like Don wanted.

[luckofthedevil]

Alex immediately dropped the spear when Donatello's hands grabbed his shoulders and jammed his hands upwards, trying to both break the hold on his shoulders and protect his head. Following the concussion he got earlier in the Arena he was trying to avoid a second one at all costs.

[polyturtle]

Normally that maneuver would work. Normally Donatello would back off and not try and smash his head even as someone was trying to pry him off of them.

But each attempt to stop him only enraged him even more, pumping up his adrenaline, increasing the haze. He didn't care. He wanted Alex to pay. And the longer he had to wait, the worse, he decided, it was going to be for Alex.

Wasn't that how Raphael thought? Maybe. But maybe Don wasn't even thinking about that.

[luckofthedevil]

Having a turtle's skull slam into your forearms was not a pleasant feeling. Alex grunted at the impact, not sure at first if the blow had fractured anything or not... until he noticed his right wrist bent a bit funny.

Great.

Darting his left hand out, he took advantage of the headbutt and went for the turtle's eyes.

[polyturtle]

Only his wrist. No, he wasn't satisfied.

Oh, his fingers were coming for his eyes. No, he was not going to let that happen. So Donatello, in his whipped-up haze of rage, did something remarkable un-Donatello-like.

He tried to lean and bite off the invading fingers.