.Stone And Lumber (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Gods Of War-

It was so oddly silent despite the deafening rain.

And Athena struck out first, swinging her hand into his face.

Ares, being another career victor had an easier time the a normal person with blocking the strike, putting his forearm up, the fingers gripping into his flesh and despite her short nails, ripping his skin up.

But she didn't let go, tho he was faster in this monet, lashing out with an open palm strike in her side, getting a gasp with Athena slightly hunching forwards before the same hand used for a body shot hit up in another open palm hit, an uppercut.

Her teeth snapped together with a clank, stumbling back before a quick kick to the chest sent her down on her back, splashing up water with the fall.

Athena was not a superior force, she was human, nothing mythological, and yet, today this was the scariest sight: Athena taking three consecutive hits when she usually barely got two to land on her.

She turned to her side, Ares waiting until she got up, shaking her arms out.

"Heh, you sure your tongue is alright after that hit?" He asked, her eyebrow twitching, she had bitten her cheek, that's where the trickle of blood down her face came from, her side hurt, that bullet didn't do that much damage going through but she felt the burn of it.

She reached up to the blood on her cheek  and traced out A and V on one cheek and O and X on the other, looking at him.

"Ah, suspected as much after what you pulled on those interviews and since you always were a talkative woman and have been silent since the start.... You know Athena, 2 liked to picture you as the victor by excellence, so many came before you and after you but you were our prized victor, we all were looking down and saying, that girl just won't quit, watch her, she'll get back up no matter what happened, she will get back up swinging and she'll try again, she just don't quit." He sounded angry, lunging a punch she blocked with two arms before grabbing her belt and lifting her over his head with two hands before slamming her down. "Everyone said don't quit, get off your butt, get in the arena, get dirty, get sweaty, get bloody, get knocked down but get back up no matter what happens so fight like you mean it! Live up to your damned name!!"

She turned herself on her stomach and got up on all fours, taking a breath, shaking her head as she stood.

"You fight to survive, to save all your friends, your mockingjay, so why do your eyes speak of already having given up?!" He grabbed the front of her shirt, lifting her onto her tiptoes. "Fight with you sou--" It felt like a snake coiled around him.

Athena had grabbed on his arms with both of hers with so much strength that clawless finger punched holes into his flesh as she threw her legs up, looping them around his throat and squeezing while pulling on his arm and grabbing on his hand, wrenching it back.

(I can't describe a flying triangle hold quite well.... So here's a video!)

Because of the weight he dropped to a knee, her back slamming into the ground, his face going red and veins bulging.

But just like Athena can overpower Johanna because she is stronger, Ares can overpower Athena.

He actually lifted her again, grabbing his arm with his other before slamming her back down and reaching up, grabbing one of her legs and almost twisting it away from him, breathing in before she drove her other foot into his face, kicking them apart.