Last night in the Outback"

In retrospect, Maranya thought, I should have fought Koy instead. But how could I have known the harm that came from facing Vincent in the ring"

Dris waved to Vincent. "Hello, hello!"

Vincent, looking a little glum, he just nodded to Dris lightly and tossed his jacket onto a chair.

"Arch Mage!" Maranya called out, and blew Vincent a kiss. "Care to meet me in a ring and save me from Koy?"

"Oh, I suppose." Vincent shrugged, and headed her way.

"Aww. Someone's lookin' a might outta spirits," Dris crooned. Then he gasped at Anya. "Koy, darlin', she totally dissed you." Dris pouted, a lot.

Koy laughed. "I didn't know anyone needed savin' from me."

"Apparently ye're quite fearsome," Dris retorted.

"Fierce Fashionista, you better believe it!" Maranya called, "Find us a ring, please, Dris!"

"Em." Dris pointed out a random ring. "Ring Rooster!"

Yeah, here comes the rooster. "Any particular reason you picked me to pummel on?" Vincent asked after he stepped into the ring.

Maranya laughed. "Appropriate!" She headed into the ring, and climbed inside. Then she bowed to Vincent and Dris in turn. "Navyk i chest'. Because I'll kiss any booboos I put on you," she answered the question from the Arch Mage with a wink.

"Hmmm....way my night's going, I may intentionally get a few then. It's been lousy so far," Vincent said.

"Oh' What happened?" Maranya asked, with curiosity and unspoken concern. Dris made his commentary on the first round, "Rooster 1: Anya pounces right on in with a punch, but Vinny turns the tables on 'er b'fore she can lay it on 'im!"

Vincent worked out a few kinks. "I came out publically in favor of prop 37 over drinks in the inn. You would've sworn I had just murdered baby twins or something from the reaction I got," he responded before he grabbed her wrists and twisted her around, stepping in to trip her off her feet.

Whoa! She was grabbed and tripped just like that, unable to use her powerful right. She stared up at Vincent in undisguised shock. "Do you realize what that means for people like me....like you?"

Dris' commentary for the next round became a soundtrack for the match, "Rooster 2: Once again the Crouching Tiger is no match for the Hidden Dragon as Vinny's fist defeats Anya's foot!"

"Oh, I am perfectly aware of what it means. Less people running around taking advantage of everyday citizens without magical powers. A way to handle the burgeoning magical usage in this city, and a way to ensure that it gets taken care of in a way I prefer it to be. Don't fight city hall. Get elected instead," Vincent intoned.

"Brainwashing or worse to those who are responsible users of the Arte, because of paranoia," Maranya responded, not quite believing the words she heard from the Arch Mage, of all people.

Vincent's hand came down hard, right at the knee. He looked to do some damage given the way this conversation had started. "Most lawful magic users will simply register with what they have for magics, and will be left alone provided they don't do anything illegal with it."

Once again, Maranya's kicking leg was denied by a chop. Bruises really started to form along her right knee. "I came from a world like that, Vincent. I would be dead if I hadn't run."

Dris' melodious voice cut in to interrupt her thoughts about the past, "Rooster 3: Vinny goes flying but meets Anya's fist before he can imitate the Karate Kid successfully!"

"And I had an evil duplicate kill a classful of kids because of my actions with magic. And do you know what punishment I got' Nothing. Not a damn thing happened except people's shrugs and blind eyes. That's what this city's devolved into."

Anger and frustration of a sort met in Maranya's fist which then met with the flying Vincent. "So you would punish us all because you weren't?"

Vincent got dropped before his flying got to where it wanted to. "No, I make sure nothing like that happens again. People have forgotten that with power, comes the responsibility to do the right thing."

"I have never ever forgotten that lesson, Vincent." Her hazels narrowed.

"Rooster 4: Anya's going for the legs, but lookit the way Vinny flies out of that one!" Dris cried.

"Then you have nothing to worry about, unless you're hiding something." Vincent's eyes narrowed back at her. Then he jumped over her sweep attempt and landed on her knee first.

Maranya aimed to sweep Vincent to the mat, but he leapt away. "You know me better, or should..." Her voice trailed off as the leap landed right on her right knee. She grimaced as the knee buckled under her.

The commentary from the caller's couch continued on, "Rooster 5: Anya takes flight to return the favor, but Vinny's got a fist waitin' for her as she soars!"

Vincent stepped in and drove a fist into her gut as she jumped. "Do any of us know as much about the other as we should" I had one of the detractors go silent in the inn at the dropping of the fact that I knew where she had used magics to cover up a few bodies."

Pushing off her right leg from the ring ropes was a mistake, as Maranya did not quite get enough altitude. Especially not enough to avoid the fist that slammed into her stomach, and dropped her brutally to the mat. "You....know me better....than that." She got to her feet, and favored her right. Her leg was starting to swell around the knee.

Dris' voice began to waver and blur in Maranya's hearing as the pain flared, "Rooster 6: Anya tries out Skid's hand from her last match, but Vinny's feet are faster than her TKO can land, giving him the win instead! Well dueled, both of you!"

Vincent added insult and injury to her already hurting knee with a well placed kick.

Maranya tried to get one last punch in, but that kick got there first, and her knee buckled again, sending her to the mat. Her face was a mask of pain.

Vincent shook his head as he looked down at her and whispered, "Better the devil we know, eh?" Then he turned and walked out of the ring, heading back to his seat.

Maranya weakly nodded to Vincent's back. Her teeth were gritted with pain. Then she reached for the nearest ring rope to pull herself up.

(Adapted from live play with Vincent, Dris, and Koy. Much props go out to all of them!)