Get into the Pit.

[Kenrath]

Cole had been travelling around for a while since the collapse of the MC. In truth he never really felt at home with them but he had decided to adopt the Mandalorian way and never looked back. Rumors had started to surface about another group putting down stakes but he had yet to really looking into it. He had considered visiting his old friend Stardust and getting the latest scoop but had not yet made the trip.

Instead Cole had spent recent nights poking around an underground street fighting circuit running out the back of a run down Cantina in a section of town few wandered into after dark. Pushing through the doors of the place Cole slide off his helmet and looked around seeing mostly regulars. The bartender nodded to Cole and start pouring a drink for him.

"They have already started...head on back."

Cole smiled grabbing the drink at the same time tucking his helmet under his other arm. It seemed the fights had already kicked off. Not that Cole minded. Heck the fist time he showed up at this Cantina he had heard the commotion and went to take a look. It had taken all of five minutes before some quote rising star to shoot off his mouth trying to prove his mettle against the stranger in Mando armor. The before kid had even demanded that Cole get into the the pit before he dragged Cole in himself. Cole didn't say a word and didn't even move until the kid latched on to Cole's arm and caught a Helmet in the face for it.

Reaching the crowd in the back room Cole pushed his way through a few of the regulars making a path when they saw him. Reaching the front of the pack Cole looked down into the pit at the two current fighters going at it. Sipping his drink the current fight looked like a battle of the sexes. A man and woman trying there best to come out the winner. Cole leaned forward on the edge of the wall of the pit and watched instinctual critiquing each fighters skill and ability.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro a new face in the crowd certainly knew how to gain attention. She sauntered into the cantina that she had heard was also a fight club. When she opened the door, she had heads turn in her direction and was almost immediately proposed to, hit on, almost assaulted (he wound up on the floor knocked out) and then the guys gave her space.

Walking up to the bar, the tender behind already had a drink ready for her. Tossing some credits on the counter, she took it and headed over to the side of the ring. The people around it were loud, placing bets on the two in the ring. However, when she got into range of their perception, every one of them made room for her.

Her blond hair, blue eyes and air of sensual confidence caused them to lose concentration and derailed trains of thought. Her tight clothing, something Zesiro was entirely comfortable in demanded people to look at her.

When she reached the edge of the ring, she found herself next to [member="Cole Dagos"]. He was just a touch taller than, but more built. Her blue eyes looked him from head to foot and back to his head. She took her spot next to him and leaned in slightly to give another person the opportunity to get up and watch the fight below.

It was duel between a man and woman. Made to look like a good show, Zesiro could see strengths and weaknesses in each other. Things she would do to exploit if she was faced with either one. However, this night she wasn't there to fight, at least not yet.

Turning her head to address Cole and a voice just loud enough for him to over to crowd around them.

"Who do you think is going to win? I think the lass."

 

[Kenrath]

Cole glanced over at [member="Zesiro"] giving her a quick looking over before he responded to her question.

"Neither. What you are looking at is the definition of a street fight. All will and very little talent."

Cole paused taking a sip of his drink watching a brief exchange between the two fighters.

"He is trying to be a one shot hero to show how manly and strong he is. She is eating shots on the hope that he will either tire out or leave her an opening to exploit."

Cole glanced over at Zesiro for the moment ignoring the two fighters.

"Neither one of them will have enough in the tank to fight a second time this week much less tonight. Leaving it all in the pit is a poor strategy to have. Which leads me to believe they are not fighters but thrill seekers trying to latch on a moment of glory and recognition."

Cole chuckled.

"If you are looking to make a name for yourself this isn't the place to do it.............and they certainly are not the people to do it with. I only come for the entertainment."

 

[Zesiro]

"I fully agree."

Zesiro a little unnerved b​y the fact her appearance didn't appear to effect the man she addressed. Though he did glance at her twice not just once. So there might be hope to get to know him a little more.

"I'm not here to fight, just observe, drink a little and have a good time."

She took a sip of her drink and turned her attention to the fight for a moment.

The man was using all ranged weapons, though he had a vibrosword at his side. The woman had picked a shield, smaller blaster and a knife. Though the weapons of the man were stronger, she had a shield and he didn't.

Hearing a small chuckle from [member="Cole Dagos"], Zesiro turned her blue eyes to him again.

"I can tell, you're known here."

Her full attention is on him now and even the people that had been looking at her at least pretended to not be doing so now.

"I'm Zesiro."

 

[Kenrath]

Cole chuckled.

"What do you consider a good time? For me fighting and drinking is a good time."

He didn't bother turning back to the look at the fight. [member="Zesiro"] was much more interesting than the two amateurs trying to prove how big and bad they were. He laughed at her comment at being known.

"Not a single person here even knows my name. None even bothered to ask. However Mandalorian Armor and three weapons tend to encourage intelligent people to give a wide berth."

He scanned the crowd before looking back at her.

"So far only one person has ever been bold enough to try and encourage me to fight in the pit. He did so in a poorly mannered method and woke up in the floor having never actually made it to the pit."

Cole shrugged.

"The rest so far have not been inclined to issue a challenge. That may change and then again it may not."

As he finished speaking one of the servers from inside appeared with a dink holding it out for Cole. Taking it he smiled.

"How about another one for Zesiro as well?"

The server smiled and walked off as Cole turned back to Zesiro.

"Cole Dagos. The pit only serves two purposes that can be considered honorable. Settling differences or getting to know someone on a person level. The only two places those purposes are exercised is Mandalorian space and on Eshan."

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro gave such a dazzling smile to [member="Cole Dagos"] at his question for what she considered a good time.

"You and can agree on at least one thing that counts as a good time."

She finished off her drink, setting the glass down on the ledge next to her.
​
"Sometimes just the sight of something or a symbol, automatically makes you known.
For you, it's your armor.
For me it's this."

Her hands flowed from her shoulders down indicating her body.

"That guy back there sure isn't going to forget me soon."

Tipping her head and pointing back the way she came indicated the gentleman she knocked out when he tried to molest her.

Accepting his name and the drink he bought her she nodded her head.

"I like getting to know people on personal levels."

 

[Kenrath]

Cole smirked.

"Your words say personal but your outfit says intimate. You do realize they don't mean the same thing."

It was worded more as a statement than a question. Cole got the impression nothing [member="Zesiro"] said or did was by accident.

"Walking into a place filled with testosterone and alcohol dressed as you are may lead one to believe you enjoy the attention just as much as the opportunity to drop some poor opportunistic soul on their backside."

Cole sipped his drink.

"So what does bring you to this little hole in the wall and to my side. Think if you bat those eyes enough I will try something?"

Cole cocked an eyebrow at her.

"And if I were to try something would you slap my hand away too or we you see where it goes?"

Cole turned slightly towards her the arm cradling his helmet leaning against the wall his drink in the other hand as he faced her.

 

[Zesiro]

Rolling her tongue around in her mouth as [member="Cole Dagos"] spoke, listening to every word. He clearly read her better than most. Most just saw her exterior and didn't care about what was going on in her head. She wouldn't underestimate him again.

"I may look like I want to get intimate, but you see I like to get to know people on a personal level before that happens.
That man just wanted to get intimate right away and I don't allow that."

Zesiro took a deep breath in through her nose, her chest swelling, but it was so natural to her, that she never thought about what its effects were on people anymore.

Taking another sip, Zesiro carefully considered her next words before speaking. She looked him right in the green eyes, not blinking her own.

"Entertainment brought me here and drink. However, the entertainment is sadly lacking and you are far more interesting."

She placed a hand on her hip and changed which foot she was standing on, showing off her curved and well formed hips.

"I want to see where this goes."

 

[Kenrath]

Cole laughed watching the little show she put on in front of him.

"Your body language betrays your words Zesiro. Your moments subtle as they may be say take me now but your words question whether I would respect you in the morning."

He smiled letting his words hang in the air for a moment before he spoke again.

"Would you feel better if I pretended not to notice? If we stood here all night drinking and pretending to care about each others life stories?"

Cole sipped his drink.

"It is a possibility but I have to say it is not a very exciting way to spend an evening. Or perhaps you were looking at working of the frustration of unfulfilled desires another way?"

Cole glanced briefly towards the fighters in the pit before looking back into Zesiro's eyes.

"Lord knows those two are putting everyone to sleep and you did say you wanted to get to know me on a personal level."

Cole winked.

"So what'll be little Zesiro the easy way or the hard way?"

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Her eyes narrowed slightly at his words, they hit very close to true. She looked away from him before she could reveal more.

"What is respect these days?"

Barely spoken above a whisper but in the closeness between them, he would hear.

"I know you see and notice, you're not blind. Do I care about a person before getting intimate? Usually not, but most people don't care."

Her voice was slightly fierce in answer, but not mad. This man understood her more than anybody had, even her master that taught her everything he knew before she killed him.

She didn't think she would stand a chance in a fight against [member="Cole Dagos"], but sometimes she actually gave a damn and for some reason she wanted his respect. She looked back at him finally.

"Why not both?"

 

[Kenrath]

Cole smiled leaning in towards her his lips close to her ear.

"I am not most people sweet little Zesiro."

In a flash he pulled back and with one hand vaulted over the wall and into the pit. The crowd gasped for a split second before they cheered. The two fighters looked at him stunned.

"Take a draw and get out."

Simple words spoken as the two fighters looked at him stunned for a moment before climbing out of the pit. Cole glanced up at Zesiro or over to her if she had managed to follow him in a split second into the pit.

"Choose your weapon.......fists.........."

Cole held up his hands.

"Blade....................."

Cole pulled the Echani sword from it's sheath gently pushing the point into the ground so that it remained upright.

"Or ranged............."

Cole pulled the Shot gun and Ripper pistol from their sheaths holding them in each hand.

"Since you wear no armor I will not either. Defeat me and we can consider what comes after."

Cole set his helmet on the floor of the pit and removed his armor until he wore only a pair of pants, shirt, and socks most wore under their armor and just as formfitting as waht Zesiro wore. Cole would then wait for her to choose what weapons if any she chose to fight with.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro followed him down after the other two combatants had left the pit. For one of the first times in her life, she was actually shaking. Having only barely trained in combat, she knew she couldn't best him in any of those weapons. However, she had the Force and would use that.

Nodding at him as he generously removed his own armor, making it bit more fair for her. She now with a little more boldness stepped to the middle of the pit.

"Hand to hand."

If there were any second thoughts, she banished them from her mind. Her sole purpose tonight was gain one man's respect. Win or lose she wanted [member="Cole Dagos"].

Closing off the sound of the spectators above them, her entire attention on the man in front of her.

 

[Kenrath]

Cole nodded taking a step away from his armor and weapons towards her. His hands came up not in closed fists but open his palms facing her. His stance a little wide his shoulders were not squared towards her. Instead his left foot a little in front of his right his left shoulder and bicep facing towards her.

"Your terms are acceptable. You may engage when ready."

Cole slowly circled skirting the edge of the pit his focus locked on her his gaze not in her eyes or her hands but her torso. Looking for any telegraph of what she may do. The crowd in the background a dim roar. None of them had seen Cole in the pit. Some were hushed with anticipation, other were roaring with excitement. a few opportunists were even placing bets on the outcome.

Such was the nature of pit fighting.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro took a stance that felt comfortable and it was very much like Cole's. His build larger than hers by at least 50 pounds, the muscles of his toned body showed through his clothes. Her left foot forward facing him and her right foot behind her and at opposite angles as her left. She brought her left arm up and formed a loose fist, she held it not directly in front of her face, but pretty close. Her right arm was pulled back slightly, her elbow close to her right side along with her forearm. Her right hand also fisted like her left but her palm upward.

She could see he was fully confident in his moves and wonders if another weapon would have been a better choice.

His eyes were on her body, but not looking anymore at how she looked, but how she moved. As if he was going to anticipate her moves. Taking note of this, Zesiro considers her attack. She knew standing in one place would just make her target, so she keeps on the move. Maybe a little slow, but never still.

Testing the waters, she makes a quick jab with her right hand and pulls back, keeping her left arm in front of her to block if he tried to retaliate with a punch of his own.

 

[Kenrath]

Cole circled her he breathing calm and even more at home in a dusty pit that anywhere else he had been in a long time. He noticed her try her best to mimic his stance. From where he stood it looked too awkward but only time will tell.

When she fired off the jab Cole crouched ducking slightly down and in slipping in behind it and with his lead hand pushed out the palm of his hand aimed center mass of her torso not to strike put to simply push back before he side stepped to his right to slide along her left shoulder. Last he would pivot around resuming his stance on her left side.

Sure he could have done more. He could have countered with more force. He could have counter punched. he didn't however and he would leave it up to her to contemplate why if she so chose.

The crowd seemed to have expected more from both fighters but they were not Cole's concern. Not that [member="Zesiro"] would now it but his goal was not to utterly crush her like the so called fighters in the pit before them were trying to do. No Cole was Echani first and to them hand to hand was a dance not a conquest.

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro knew he would block or evade her poor punch, but his retaliation was less than she expected. She knew he could have easily taken her down, as it was he merely pushed his open hand against her and forced her to take a step back. [member="Cole Dagos"] ended his move on her left side.

She quickly turned to face him and continued in her circling around him, he followed her, waiting for her to make another move. While not exactly bold or full of more confidence, she stepped up again, almost close enough to their extended left arms. She jabs out again with her right fist and follows with one from her left hand. Hoping to get away from his reach fast enough, Zesiro jumps backward.

 

[Kenrath]

Cole smiled. He let her right fist hit his open palm and her left do the same before she jumped back. He knew what she was doing and he was a little surprised. Cole bawled his hands into fists before opening them back up again.

The crowd gave a soft murmur when her strikes struck his hands but not much more. They were bored and they wanted blood. Cole didn't care. He slowly circled [member="Zesiro"] for a moment. Then he snapped out a fast jab with his left hand followed by a quick right and then snapped out a second jab with his left hand in quick succession as he continued to circle. Each one was aimed for her head. The jabs light the right cross with a little force behind it.

Cole was testing her defenses and her reaction time. Seeing what she would be able to take and what she couldn't handle.

 

[Zesiro]

Not yet calling on the Force to enhance her fighting, Zesiro didn't block his first fist jab but turned it aside by bringing her left arm and turning it away. She followed his movements almost as intently as he did hers. A big difference between them, he had training, she didn't. She moved off intuition only.

His right jab she rotated at her hips and avoided, however had a harder time avoiding the last blow from his left hand. Her momentum was already moving her in its direction and all she could think of to do was duck so that's what she did.

Unsure of what her face might look like, but it must be pretty stressed, she came up and jumped backward away from him and resumed her original position.

Thinking herself lucky to still be even standing, she considers her next move. Going around in circles together like a dance of some sort, the flow of the motion captured her and she went with it. The feel of the sand beneath her feet to the movements of their bodies caught her and pulled her along.

Losing herself in the feeling and keeping her mind on the fight, she began to move much more like [member="Cole Dagos"], even though this was first time. The man in front of her had her mind and body captured, there was no escape for her and this point, Zesiro didn't want to.

 

[Kenrath]

Cole smiled. She had some inherent defensive ability just no very good on the offensive. It made him wonder why she chose to fight hand to hand. Perhaps she meant to tire him out. Wait for him to slip up and then exploit an opening. The only problem with philosophy is her attacks were clumsy and inaccurate.

Cole circled for a brief moment seeing what she did see how much she still had left in her. Once he was back in range he struck. Popping out a quick jab he followed it with a right cross, then another stiff jab, then he mixed it up instead of another right in quickly curling slightly popping up like a cobra with a right hand upper cut that he kept in close ot his body.

Cole was not done yet though as the upper cut came back Cole's left hand snapped out again but this time with a tight hook aimed at her chin which was followed up quickly by a round kick with his left leg aimed at the thigh just above the knee of her lead leg.

From this point on Cole would push the act now that it started to see a pattern in her movements.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

The primal rhythm of the dance between the two combatants showed in her moves. Zesiro followed what felt natural to her in this situation and this was far from natural for her.

He was good, way better than she was at this. Taking a quick centering breath, she watched his moves. He would lead in with a left jab which she was luckily able to deflect. The cross, she avoided by leaning to her right away slightly, she attempted to duck under his second left jab and ended up with his upper cut connecting on her diaphragm. The connection knocked the breath out of her and caused her lose her concentration on his next few moves.

The stars floated in her vision and she needed a moment to shake her head clear of them.

[member="Cole Dagos"]