Mezolene closed her eyes. She always replayed the match afterwards in her mind's eye. With her breath held, she felt the wind as Jakkalin spun about to attack. It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time in a while that Jakka had lost her temper after sparring. Finch didn't move, her head bowing slightly as she let out a sigh the moment before Jakka's wild backhand slapped against her shoulder blade.<br/><br/>She staggered from the fury more than any real pain, spun around by the blow. Then she felt pain as Jakkalin drove her shoulder into her exposed gut. Finch gagged as the air was knocked out of her, her lavender eyes snapping open in shock. Wheezing for air, she dropped her staff from numb fingers, her arms lifting up to try and block the flurry of blows.<br/><br/>More of a punching bag than an opponent, the soft leather opened welts across her golden arms. Jakka's knee lifted up over and over into her kidneys, elliciting a pained grunt from the girl as she was pressed back. Only the observant who knew her might have noticed, as Jakkalin moved to take her legs out, Mezolene's foot stepped deftly up and out of the way.<br/><br/>It was so deliberate and well timed, it was apparent she wasn't as helpless as she seemed. She just didn't want to be knocked down. She was letting Jakka rage. As the blades began to slow, Mezolene lifted her head up to stare at the wearied Jakkalin. She was clearly in agony from a dozen welts, a number of purple bruises already growing livid about her belly, but her breathing was shallow and unhurried. There were a hundred sets of eyes on them, Finch knew, and she also knew Jakka could feel them much more intently than anyone. The reproach, the disgust, the anger.<br/><br/>Mezolene was unarmed, but then she was an aero master. Jakkalin had seen her fling away three hundred pound men who were more monster than mortal with a powerful gust. Finch's arms lifted slowly, her hands open as if she were cupping the air. With a shambling step forward, she reached out, her arms delicately wrapping around Jakkalin. She was gentle as she placed the back of her hand against Jakka's head, trying to hide the girl's sour expression in her shoulder as well as hide Jakkalin's eyes so she couldn't see the gaze of the crowd. Finch was warm and soothing against her body, her lips tickling at Jakka's earlobe as she whispered almost maternally, "It's going to be okay, Jakka. I made you a special lunch last night. Let's go meet Nikkolas now, alright?"