“Uuughhh...”
“Oh, no, no. Go on, say it again. You had plenty to say from the other side of the ropes...”
A quiet chuckle answered the groan, which had almost dissolved into a sob. The trainee draped across Sable’s shoulders was the same woman who had stepped into the ring so confidently to stop her only minutes earlier. Her legs, kicking desperately just moments ago, now barely moved. Rather than put her down, Sable tilted her head and waited for an answer. Below the ring, her original sparring partner sat slumped against the apron. Too exhausted to stand, the rookie could only watch, her body trembling, as the woman who had come to save her suffered the same treatment.
A little earlier.
All Sable had done was pick up her sparring partner and throw her onto the mat. Of course, she hadn’t done it just once. For the first few throws, the other woman got back up. She reset her stance and tried to pry Sable’s arms away or knock her off balance. Sable let her try. And every time, she sent the rookie back to the mat. She looked perfectly at ease. Before long, her partner was telling her she couldn’t continue. The taps against Sable’s arm grew increasingly frantic.
“Stop... I give. Please, that’s enough...”
But they had barely started. How could she possibly know she had reached her limit already? Quitting the moment things became difficult was a terrible habit for a wrestler. Surely it would be irresponsible to let her give up without finding out whether she had anything left. At least, that was how Sable chose to see it. The gap between their abilities did not particularly concern her. They were both new to LAW. As far as Sable was concerned, that was enough. And surely the rookie deserved some of the blame for seeing a pretty face, hearing that Sable was new, and asking her to spar. She should have taken a better look at her size first. Even after Sable’s recent match against a veteran, word apparently hadn’t spread far enough to make people wary of her. Then this one would have to learn the hard way.
Sable lifted her again. The mat shook beneath the impact. This time, the rookie didn’t immediately try to get up. Someone outside the ring drew a sharp breath. Uneasy glances passed between the trainees gathered nearby. Sable noticed. Any moment now. Sooner or later, someone would find the sight unbearable. Someone would decide that she could do more than stand around watching. A self-appointed hero, coming to the rescue.
“Stop it. Didn’t you hear her say she’s had enough?”
Right on cue, a firm voice cut across the ring. Sable’s lips slowly curved as another trainee parted the ropes and stepped inside. That look on her face as she walked straight toward Sable to protect someone else. That absolute certainty that she was doing the right thing. Sable knew that look. Far better than she cared to remember. She tossed the rookie aside toward the ropes and turned to face the newcomer. The first woman managed to drag herself beneath the bottom rope, but Sable was no longer watching her. She had someone else to teach.
Present...
It was convenient, really. There was no need to go looking for them when they came to her so willingly. So eager to save someone. So certain things would turn out differently for them. Watching that certainty fade was always a pleasure. Sable shifted the trainee across her shoulders, drawing a sharp flinch and a thin groan. The hands that had struggled to pry her grip apart now merely trembled against her arms. She had been so talkative on the other side of the ropes. Now, all that righteous conviction couldn’t loosen Sable’s grip.
Sable glanced down. Her first opponent tried to push herself upright, only to slump against the apron again. A little farther away, someone took a hesitant step forward, then stopped to look at the woman beside her. No one reached for the ropes. To Sable, that silence was an answer. Perhaps they were finally beginning to understand. Saying the right thing meant very little without the strength to back it up.
“Do you understand now...?”
Her voice was soft, meant for the woman lying helpless across her shoulders. Sable tightened the torture rack, slowly pulling down on the trainee’s neck and thigh. The woman’s back bowed further. Between shallow, labored breaths, she managed another plea for Sable to stop. Sable tilted her head, just enough to show she had heard. She didn’t let go.
“No one’s coming to save you.”
