Smoked

QJ spent the evening in his parent's Ravenwood home. Anna Li dropped off little Cale so she could go on a virtual date with Felix Soma. Between Robin and Ra, the three kept Cale entertained before he fell asleep for the evening. Since QJ was focused on the start of the Goodwill games the following day, he decided to get some quality sleep instead of staying logged in all night; once Anna returned, he went home.

After showering and eating the following morning, QJ brought Maya to Ravenwood to relax until it was time for their competition. They spoke casually without mentioning the competition; as QJ liked to say, the hay was already in the barn.

The contingent from the Exodus Academy marched through the TAP portal in three columns. On any other day, the students from Exodus were color-coded by their year, but today, they all wore Navy blue. Their opponents were formed up in front of the admissions building, standing at attention both NPCs and players. 

Ringo was chosen to march the Exodus players in; the 1st year teacher had become well-known since OP thundered into the Phoenix server. She stopped her group and had them exercise a crisp left-face movement that ended with the two academies facing each other. 

With ten meters between them, Ringo walked forward when her TAP counterpart did the same. 

Tal's metallic prosthetic clicked with each stride; she shook the offered hand, smiling at the younger woman. "I always look forward to these games."

"So do I," Ringo returned the smile. "Flip for first?"

The two formations would march into the enormous TAP arena, where several keynote speakers, including Quinn, would address the athletes. Traditionally, they would flip a coin to determine who entered first.

Tal shook her head. "We invite our friends from the Exodus Academy to precede us." Her sky-blue eyes scanned the students behind Ringo; she recognized several faces from One Problem, including her son's roommates. "QJ skipping the opening ceremony?" 

Ringo nodded. "He'll be relaxing until the grappling competition begins. Good luck, Tal."

"Good luck, Ringo."

Kora pulled her hoodie up, covering her signature spiked blond hair that would immediately identify her to anyone watching. She could have been observed from the side of the mats even though she recused herself; after all, this was her department. It didn't feel right coaching her students to compete against her daughter and QJ, a young man she'd known his entire life. 

Through the grapevine, she'd heard Tito's strategy to upset QJ. Use defense to wait for a mistake and then capitalize with a quick submission attempt. Kora understood this would never work with her former protege for one reason: how he learned to defend submission attempts. 

Most grapplers first learn to defend submission attempts by trying to counter the setup. Q had taught his son by locking him in a submission and forcing him to think his way out of it. By the time QJ was ten, he was a grappling nightmare. Kora felt comfortable believing that if these two matched up twenty times, every session would end within the first minute, with QJ winning however he wanted to. 

Yamalee was a different story. She was a prodigy with a ton of aggression and substantial strength. Unlike QJ, she was predictable; the problem her opponents faced was that she was so skilled at the things she did that countering them was difficult. Although Maya was hardworking and knowledgeable, her natural talent was lacking. Anyway, you looked at it, it wasn't a favorable match-up. Her daughter would fight hard but would probably be steamrolled by the stronger and more aggressive Yamalee. "My daughter is stubborn; she should be able to make it into the second round."

Ringo sat between Lotte and Breeze; the excitement in the arena was thick enough to cut with a knife. After marching into the arena to the cheers of a packed stadium, the students stood patiently while the ceremonial speakers made their speeches. Afterward, they exchanged lapel pins, another tradition the students enjoyed, and were given free time to mingle. 

Although the grappling championship started at 1100 hours, it was the first competition of the games. By 1045 hours, the Martial Hall stands were packed with spectators. 

[OP: Chainy] It's impressive when you consider this Academy floats above the Fora coastline. 

[OP: Lotte] I don't see QJ. Shouldn't he be here by now?

[OP: Ringo] Far side of the building, he's sitting under the Exodus canopy with Maya. 

[OP: Breeze] What's with the signs?

Ringo smiled as she scanned the crowd. QJ had spent three years in the TAP Academy; there were dozens of signs supporting him, most of them held by members of the Silverleaf family. 

[OP: Jigsaw] Is that QJ's opponent? He looks strong. 

Ringo sized up the person in question, six feet tall with a fair amount of muscle. The program listed him at 90 kilos, with QJ being 81 kilos. 

[OP: Sato] Doesn't matter, QJ will wreck him.

A referee motioned for the two grapplers to take a position at the center of the mat while he gave instructions. After he finished, they shook hands and returned to the scratch line. 

The ref ensured both men were ready and then raised his flag. 

Rosales squared up, presenting the same right leg forward profile QJ used. Quick as a snake, QJ's hand darted to the back of his opponent's neck and pulled down, snapping it forward. When his opponent reared back to defend, QJ jumped ahead, his lead leg moving between his opponents to attack his lead leg while the rear leg moved behind to sweep Tito's legs from under him. By the time they hit the mat, QJ secured the left heel with his hands and leaned back. Rosales tapped immediately when QJ ruthlessly wrenched it. 

"Flying kneebar, " Kora shook her head; QJ constantly evolved. She felt a lot of pride watching his hand get raised. "Evolve or get smoked," Kora let herself smile; it was one thing she always told him. 

[OP: Chainy] Damn... you'd have missed that if you blinked. 

[OP: Ringo]Three seconds into the match, and it's over... 

[OP: Sato] See? Wrecked.

The crowd was on their feet, cheering when the referee raised QJ's hand. The OP section was the loudest, screaming wildly as their Vice Leader shook hands with his defeated opponent. 

QJ waved to the OP contingent, grinning at his roommates, who apparently didn't care how crazy they acted. Afterward, he returned to the challenger's side, where Maya was stretching. 

"That was the slickest setup I've ever seen," Maya complimented. 

"I did my homework," QJ admitted. "I watched some of his old practice streams; he never works on leg submissions." 

"Doubt it would have mattered," Maya rolled with QJ several times over the past few days; he always simulated Yamalee's strength and speed for her benefit; what he had just displayed was next-level skill. 

QJ moved behind her, massaging her shoulders. "Focus on your task, stick to the plan. Don't try the submission too early."

Maya nodded. "I know. Put the hay in the barn first."

QJ laughed. "After today, you're not allowed to say that anymore." 

"Will you stay here?" Maya asked. 

QJ shook his head. "No coaching is allowed; between rounds, take some water and keep moving." 

Kora watched her daughter move to the center of the mat. She always had a knot in her stomach when her daughter competed. "Do your best, Maya." 

The opponents shook hands and squared off at the scratch lines while the referee prepared to start. An instant later, he raised the starter flag, and the match began. 

Yamalee bull-rushed her opponent, a tactic meant to show Maya the difference in their strength. She stepped forward for a trip and inexplicably found herself slammed hard to the mat. 

"Hmm?" Kora wanted to jump up and cheer; Maya hip-tossed Yamalee and quickly assumed the top position. Her smile faded an instant later when her daughter went after her opponent's wrists. "That's not going to work on her. Why is your foot position off? You should be fighting for an armbar..." 

Yamalee sensed her opponent's weight and foot position and escaped by breaking her hold and rolling away.

Squaring up again, Yamalee grabbed her opponent's arms and pulled toward her for a hip toss. Maya stepped in for an easy trip that had her once again in top position. 

Kora clapped despite telling herself not to. "She attacked Yamalee's offense; that's right out of Q's handbook, which means QJ's been working with her. He wouldn't have taught her that awkward position. It's sloppy and allows her opponent an easy escape." 

The match fell into a pattern: Yamalee's subsequent three takedown attempts were successful, and Maya was forced to defend from her back. The Exodus Academy representative regained her feet, but the effort started showing. Right before the first admission, Maya countered a trip with a perfect hip-toss and locked up Yamalee's wrists. The first round ended with Yamalee rolling away from Maya after breaking the wristlock. 

Kora shook her head. "9-7 in favor of Yamalee, I can't believe she's hanging in there." A glance at the side mat made her heart sink; Maya was tired. Dealing with someone stronger than her was taking a toll. "It's okay," she cheered silently. 

In the second round, the tide started to turn. Maya fought gamely, countering two of six takedown attempts, but was hardpressed to escape to her feet. The 2nd round ended with Maya in serious trouble; Yamalee sunk in a D'arce choke but could not finish it before the bell sounded.

"Return to the side mat, Maya," the referee ordered when the young woman showed no sign of getting up. "Return to the side mat, or I'll call the match."

Maya struggled to her feet, wobbling slowly back to her side. "The third round... the hay better be in the fucking barn by now." She glanced at the scoreboard, noting she was down 16-10. Maya splashed water on her face and tried to shake out her tired arms. 

Kora wiped her eyes; the effort her daughter was displaying made her cry. "I can't believe you pushed her into the third round... I'm not sure if I can watch anymore." Maya was exhausted, although Yamalee showed signs of fatigue, she was still attacking and moving well. "My heart will break if you lose after trying so hard." 

"Return to the scratch lines," the referee ordered. Both girls did as commanded. 

Maya focused on her opponent and waited for the start flag to rise. 

QJ nodded to himself; it would have been better if Maya had managed to counter a few more attacks in the last round, but she already established a pattern. He clapped when they squared off. "Let's go!" 

Maya felt the strength of her opponent exerting toward her and immediately pulled for a hip toss. She locked up her opponent's wrists and moved her weight forward with her foot on the inside of Yamalee's torso; the noise from the crowd faded away as time seemed to slow. 

Yamalee shifted to begin her escape to the outside just as Maya rotated her body and slid her foot over her opponent's torso. She felt a surge of power beneath her as Yamalee sensed the trap while it was being sprung and attempted to reverse direction. 

Maya let the wristlock slide free but captured the inside arm against her chest while throwing her weight backward. Yamalee managed to lock her fingers and defend the hold; for an instant, they were locked in a stalemate.

QJ noticed immediately that Yamalee didn't manage to lock her wrists. "IT'S FINGERS! PULL MAYA! PULL!"

Maya used her weight and leverage and poured her remaining strength into the task, slowly breaking Yamalee's grip before finishing the armbar. A few seconds later, her opponent tapped. 

"WHAT? WHAT? THAT'S MY GIRL!" Kora jumped to her feet and pumped her fist in the air, forgetting for a moment that she was trying to remain impartial. Thankfully, the crowd was in a frenzy, and no one noticed her before she returned to her seat. 

Maya lay back on the mat, too tired to do anything but smile. She accepted a hand up from her opponent. "Thanks."

Yamalee removed her mouthpiece and shook her hand. "Good match," she managed a polite smile despite being disappointed. 

Meanwhile, Kora was making her way to the exit; she paused near the door long enough to watch the referee raise her daughter's hand. Maya managed enough energy to run to the side and embrace QJ. "This was a trap? This has QJ's hands all over it." Although she felt bad for Yamalee, it was a good lesson for the talented grappler. "Evolve or get smoked."