The Cat and The Dragon

[winner3]

Many had been looking forward to this segment since it was announced. With little to no warning, viewers watching LAW from afar and fans in the arena were told they Kat Hart would be given time to say a few words and cut a quick promo. What it would be about, no one could say for sure. But there was tension in the air tonight. The feeling that we were going to witness something intense!

Entrance Music

Kat Hart

The moment The Super Kitty's music hit, fans roared with praise and got ready to sing along to her music! Her appearance drew even more cheers from the crowd! Kat stood at the top of the entrance ramp. With one arm bent and her bicep flexed. Her other hand rested on her hip. Her title belt was fastened over her waist. Her signature wrestling attire showed off her combination of chiseled muscle tone and impressive curves. The woman had the look and feel of a champion and a top woman in the company! And as she made her way down the ramp, Kat stopped occasionally to give high-fives and hugs to fans that were wearing Super Kitty masks, tee shirts, and merchandise!

Eventually, the legendary luchadora would make it to ringside! Kat would jump and slide into a kneeling position on the apron on one knee, before pulling on the top rope to pop up to her feet and jump into the ring! Kat would lean over the ropes to ask one of the LAW production crew members for a mic before taking her place in the middle of the ring. The blonde paused to let the cheers and chants die down a bit before getting started.

"I love you guys!" Kat would declare proudly and with a wide smile on her face. Once again, she'd pause for the fan reactions.

"I come out here night after night to perform, to compete, to put on a spectacle in the hopes of pushing this company and this sport to new heights....in the hopes of inspiring people that were just like little Kat was fifteen-twenty years ago, heh." Kat straightened her fingers and flattened her palm by her thigh to gesture to make her point."

"No words can describe just how much it means to me to see my journey, my work, and my efforts can reach anyone out there that cares about professional wrestling."

"And that's why it's insane to me just how much the reception I get out here can sometimes contrast what I get in the back." The Super Kitty pointed towards the entrance ramp, towards the direction of the backstage area and locker rooms. She began to pace the ring as fans began to speculate. With one hand she held her mic. The other hand she rested on her hip/championship belt.

"You see, I was asked to come out here by management...to address my enemies?" The luchadora said with a raised eyebrow before quickly continuing.

"I don't know. To me, it's weird corporate speak. I know people want ratings and all that, but I don't start drama for drama's sake. There are a lot of women on the LAW roster that would rather hide behind a keyboard than sort out their beef with another wrestler. That's an open secret."

"I wish it was that easy to get established in this line of work. See, for me, becoming a big name in this company wasn't as easy as finding the toughest person in the room and taking a swing. I wish that was me. Cause you see, the easiest thing about being the underdog is that the underdog can fight with reckless abandon and scratch and claw their way to putting themselves on the map because the underdog....has nothing...to lose." Kat paused for emphasis and looked at the camera before she resumed pacing about the ring.

"The underdog can take their lumps from the tough girl. If they're any good at all, in the best case, they play it up well, put on the match of their career, get the big upset win and become somebody in this business."

"In the worst case, if they showed any kind of heart at all, they start to get there, the underdog starts to accrue a little bit of success as a wrestler just by showing they can hang with the tough boys and girls."

"But let's flip that script. Let's talk about the tough girl in this story. Let's talk about the girl with something to lose."

"When you get to the top, everyone wants a piece of you. Every top woman in this company knows that. I'm not here to complain. I'm here to make it clear."

"You become somebody in this sport by proving yourself. You become a top guy or a top gal by withstanding the test of time and proving that come what may, that no matter who comes into the room, you're still one of, if not the toughest men or women in it game."

"The toughest girl in the room, the toughest girl at LAW can only stay the toughest by proving that no matter how many new wrestlers sign, no matter how hot anyone else gets, no matter what heights the competition reaches, that she's still a cut above the rest of em!"

"You get in the ring with me, and you guarantee yourself a chance to come out of the match a bigger star than you were going into it, regardless of how it ends."

"But I get in the ring with you and I guarantee myself a chance to either cement the fact that I am the face of LAW, the face of the company, or somehow lose and cast doubt on the idea that I am among the toughest women that this company had to offer." Kat would pause here. After having said an earful, there was still strong support for her from the crowd. But there was an unrest. Everyone could tell that she was going somewhere with this.

"I can already tell that half the women in the back watching me are already tired of hearing me talk. So we're gonna get right down to it!"

Hart would once again walk to the ropes and reach over them to consult the staff. From them, she procured a clipboard and a pen. She held it firmly with one hand and returned to the center of the ring.

"I talk a lot, but unlike a lot of people, I back up each and every word. I have in my hand here an open contract for a match with me. I figured I'd make life simple."

"I get called out pretty much every day. I'm not gonna track down each and every person that has but I'll make things easy on anyone that wants a piece of The Super Kitty. First woman that comes out here and signs gets to go a round with yours truly." Kat would said proudly. She held the clipboard and the contract on it high above her head for a moment before bringing it back down and pacing the ring again as she thought about who might answer the open challenge and agree to face off with her.

"I'm not gonna go on a tirade for ten minutes about everyone that might have problems with me but I will admit that I'm pretty excited about whoever it is that might step up!"

"Is it gonna be Kennedy Lee, who thinks that name-dropping me in a promo is gonna get a rise out of me?"

"Is it gonna be Ayame Akan, who jumped me from behind?"

"Maybe I should shift gears and talk about people I actually like. People like Astrid Arvidsson! The girl with her head in the clouds that thinks she's gonna carve a path through all three tag team champions in a handicap match. Heh, honestly, the thought still makes me laugh to this day. I-"

And almost right on cue, The Golden Dragon's theme song would hit. As if she had been anticipating the chance to answer this call and step up to LAW's own Kat Hart!

[skip-stop]

"What a convenient position, huh," Astrid chuckled.

Just a minute after Katherine came out from behind the curtains, Astrid and Victoria entered the waiting room. Initially, the blonde intended to arrive a little later because in fact she didn't really care what exactly the champion was going to tell the audience. However, the manager insisted that the Norwegian woman listen to the other blonde's speech from beginning to end. Victoria proved that her decisions are trustworthy, so Astrid did not object.

And, as it turned out, almost from the very beginning, Katherine began to say interesting things. If at first Astrid tried to restrain herself, then after the words about the underdog who has nothing to lose, she could not restrain an ironic grin. She really found this position very convenient. Besides, something told her that she knew exactly who the champion was talking about.

"Do you have any counterarguments?" Victoria asked, adjusting her glasses.

"Let me guess, you agree with what she says, right?" Astrid decided to find out first.

"At least I see the meaning in these words," the Englishwoman shrugged.

"Yeah, most people probably think the same way," Astrid's lips curved in a smile. "Because it's easier, many people are used to living without complicating things, like this is white and this is black." The blonde theatrically passed her hand through the air. "The underdog has nothing to lose, because they have nothing." There was a flash of lightning in her lavender eyes as she looked at Victoria. "What makes you think that an underdog has nothing to lose?" Astrid returned her gaze to the screen. "But don't worry, you'll get my counterarguments, you and everyone else, including her."

The Norwegian woman frowned slightly when the other blonde switched in her speech from the underdog to the tough girl. At first it seemed to her that it would be an endless cliche. The strongest. The face of the company. The number one. And so on and so forth.

"Gods..." Astrid even rolled her eyes.

Turn on a promo from any champion or veteran and you will hear exactly the same thing. When Astrid watched promos of the women who decided to take part in Apex, she got the impression that the same screenwriter wrote it all. Because if not every first, then at least every second woman said that she was the best. And here comes the question. How can you be the best if everyone is the best?

"It used to be easier," she sighed.

"In your MMA days?" the manager asked.

"In the days of my great ancestors, huh," Astrid chuckled.

But then anger showed on the blonde's face. The reason for this was Kat's words that whoever finds themselves in the ring with her immediately gets a lucky ticket. This completely coincided with her words about the underdog who has nothing to lose. Funny. Astrid noticed that many people really believe this. When you get a title match, everyone only looks at it from two points of view. Either you win and become the new champion, receiving glory and honor. Either you lose and it's okay, because you had nothing to lose.

"Astrid?" Victoria called out, noticing how much the Norwegian woman's face had changed.

But the blonde did not answer, she did not see the point in wasting words now. It's better if she says everything she thinks directly to the champion. Besides, it finally became clear exactly why Katherine made today's promo. The champion had a contract in her hand. It was an open challenge. Now the situation seemed a little better than before, because it simplified the task to some extent. Which one? Well, it wasn't hard to guess that Astrid had come here for a reason. She was here to demand a match. So now this task would require less effort from her thanks to Kat.

Astrid was even going to take a step to the curtains, but stopped when she heard that Kat decided to list a few possible names of those who could come for her. And if the first two names did not cause any reaction from the blonde, then when she heard her name, the Norwegian woman clenched her fists. She felt a fire ignite in her chest.

"The girl with her head in the clouds..." she repeated almost inaudibly, taking a step towards the curtains.

"Don't forget who you are," Victoria said, pulling out her phone.

The descendant of the great Vikings stopped for a second, looking at Victoria. Their relationship did not always go smoothly, especially in the first months. However, now trust has been established between them. Victoria wasn't one to throw words around easily. But she considered Astrid the best in her team and she fully supported all the aspirations of the blonde. And although Astrid is not used to receiving advice, preferring to deal with everything on her own, she was grateful for all the help her manager gave her.

"Never, huh," she replied and smiled slightly.

Entrance Music

Astrid Arvidsson

Victoria smiled back and then sent a short message to the staff. At the same moment, the Golden Dragon's music began. A few seconds of increasing tempo, and then the walls of the arena shook due to the roar of the speakers. Astrid came out from behind the curtains and stopped at the top of the ramp. With a confident smile on her face, she looked around the audience present.

It wasn't hard to see the difference between the way they greeted Kat and the way they greeted Astrid. Of course, today the arena was mainly attended by fans of the champion, because it was her promo and they were here for her, not for someone else. Therefore, the Norwegian woman did not receive the same loud reaction as the other blonde. In a sense she was on someone else's territory .

However, for those who did not pretend that she was no one compared to Katherine, Astrid defiantly raised her hands above her head, folding her palms in the manner of a crown. Traditions are important and she saw no reason to break them. Only after that, the Norwegian woman began to walk down the ramp with a confident step, approaching the ring.

This time she didn't have to stop to sign the posters. This allowed her to concentrate all her attention on the woman standing in the ring. Although even despite this, memories ran before Astrid's eyes. Already three times she interrupted the promos of other women, namely Karen, Alison and Diana. Someone could probably call it a bad habit or an attempt to attract attention to themselves. But Astrid had a different opinion on this.

Someone is born under a lucky star. Of course, not everyone believes in luck, but there are facts that cannot be denied. Astrid personally knew people to whom life presented everything on a silver platter. She wasn't one of those people. She had no reason to complain about her life, but not because she lived without any worries. Astrid knew that if you wanted something, no one would give it to you. You have to take it yourself. Even if it takes a lifetime to do it. You may stumble along the way, but you should never stop. The world is unfair. And if you want to achieve something, you have to be brave enough to prove that you are worthy of it.

Therefore, she was not afraid to steal the match from Cecilia Northman, thereby getting a loud debut against Alison Seong. Therefore, she was not afraid to accept the open challenge of Karen Starring. Therefore, she was not afraid to engage in a bloody battle with Kyoko Akan. Therefore, she was not afraid to confront Diana Accera. Therefore, she was not afraid to fight Aurora Lund. Therefore, she was not afraid to challenge all the Cats at once. And that's why she was not afraid to come here today and look Katherine straight in the eye.

Astrid made a short stop at the commentators' table in order to take the microphone. Those who knew her at least a little, it was known that the blonde did not like long conversations when it came to the ring. She preferred to talk with her fists, because it was much more effective than any words. However, soon after she joined LAW, she found out that this approach doesn't always work here. Kat was a great proof of this, because instead of just accepting the challenge, she decided to start a discussion first on Twitter, and now in public. Well... fine.

The Golden Dragon jumped on the edge of the ring and put her elbows on the top rope. Her lavender eyes were directed straight into the eyes of the other blonde, and there was still a confident smile on her face. Was she worried, standing practically face to face with the champion? Her heart was indeed beating a little faster than usual. But not out of fear. Out of anticipation. Something told the Golden Dragon that it would be very exciting. When her music ended, the descendant of the great Vikings brought the microphone to her mouth. This is where the fun begins.

"By the way, I still think it's a great idea, huh," she said by way of greeting, as if she had been here from the very beginning.

It cannot be said that Astrid's words aroused great approval, because Katherine's fans also thought that the challenge that Astrid threw was just an attempt to attract attention to herself. No one even tried to think that it was not an attempt to attract attention to her, but an opportunity to test her own strength. When a high wall appears in front of a person, the weak in spirit will turn around and leave, and the purposeful will try to overcome this wall, even if they fail as a result.

"You see, this time we'll follow your example and simplify things a little," she continued, slipping between the top and middle ropes. "I challenged you, and instead of accepting it, you started saying that I have my head in the clouds." Astrid shook her head slightly. "I was surprised by the commotion that my proposal caused, especially with the woman who, for some reason, decided that I said that my victory was a fact, not a probability." The blonde spread her hands to the sides, because she had never said something like that. "Not at all, I didn't even come close to saying something like that, but that's not what matters." The lavender eyes narrowed slightly. "I challenged, and you refused, hiding behind the words that I don't have a chance." Astrid's lips curved in a grin. "Someone would probably say that you just nobly decided to cool my ardor instead of teaching me a lesson, but I would call it banal cowardice."

Oh, now the audience reacted frankly negatively. The arena was filled with noise, because their idol had just been accused of cowardice. Astrid was ready for this, so she looked at the audience and smiled. They are too much used to upstarts who come into the ring and start throwing insults and accusations. Astrid understood that now in their eyes she looked exactly like that person. However, it wasn't the case. There was one difference between her and such people. Unlike them, the Norwegian woman was guided by facts, not far-fetched pretexts.

"Hush, hush," Astrid chuckled good-naturedly, waving her hand to the audience, letting them know that she was not finished. "Try to think about it, here in front of me and you is the great Katherine Hart." Astrid returned her gaze to the other blonde. "The honored veteran and the reigning champion, the face of the company, one of the strongest and just the tough girl, as Kat herself said." Astrid made a theatrical pause, as if trying to figure out if she had missed any other title that could be dubbed the other blonde. "So, now the question." The Golden Dragon took a step towards the champion. "If you're so tough, then why refuse the challenge?" Astrid tilted her head to the side, as if testing Katherine. "I have my head in the clouds, right?" A smile appeared on Astrid's lips again. "So why not bring me down from heaven to earth?" Astrid took another step forward. "Why not prove that I'm just an upstart?" Another step after which only a few feet remained between them. "Especially considering there would be three of you."

The noise of discontent did not leave the walls of the arena. However, it was hard to deny, this noise became several times quieter. Of course, if Astrid had just demanded a match against the Cats, saying that she would win them without any problems, then she would have been just a windbag. However, the facts were on the blonde's side. Yes, she was brazen, but she didn't lie in any of her words. Perhaps she really wouldn't have a chance to win in such a match. However, if Katherine and her Cats thought it would be easy for them, then they were very mistaken. The Golden Dragon has already said this several times, but now the champion had the opportunity to see it personally. Astrid is not afraid of anything. Even such crazy challenges.

"Oh yeah, right, I remember," she continued, taking a few steps away from the other blonde. "The underdog has nothing to lose." Astrid's lips curved in a grin. "Maybe you're used to dealing with those like your Twitter defender who idolizes you and your champion status." Lavender eyes flashed in the spotlight. "But if you think I'm an underdog who can be patted on the shoulder after losing the title shot and said good job, then think again." The blonde's lips slightly pursed, and her gaze became more serious. "Yes, I really have nothing to lose materially, because there is no belt on my waist." She wasn't going to deny the obvious. "And do you really think that this changes something?" The blonde's left eyebrow slightly raised. "Then I have flash news for you, Katherine, every match is a title one for me."

This time there was no negative reaction. This time, a murmur of discussion ran through the arena. Astrid's words could be interpreted in different ways. There were those in the arena who followed her career and for them there was no secret in her words. However, for most, her words were vague. However, the Norwegian woman was not going to give them space for reflection. Since she had to speak today, she intended to put everything neatly on the shelves.

"My great ancestors earned their fame in bloody battles," Astrid said, turning her gaze to the ceiling for a moment. "And unlike the underdog you were talking about, they didn't always have another chance." The lavender eyes turned back to Katherine's eyes. "But they went into every battle with a smile on their faces, regardless of whether it was a raid on a small village or an assault on the walls of Paris." The Golden Dragon clenched her right fist and hit her left shoulder. "And I do the same thing." A big smile appeared on her lips. "In every match I fight as if it's my last match, I fight as if it's a choice between life and death." And although there were Kat's fans in the arena today, no one would turn the tongue to say that Astrid was just bragging, given the hardness of her voice. "No matter who my opponent is, I always fight to the last drop of sweat and blood." Astrid's lavender eyes lit up. "And the most important thing is that unlike you, I never refuse a challenge, no matter how difficult it is."

A few seconds of absolute silence. And then... a single clap. Then another one. And another one. And so on until the arena was filled with loud applause. The Golden Dragon had to make an effort to keep her composure, but in her soul she was very pleased that her words still reached the hearts of those who were not her fans.

"I am a descendant of the great Vikings, I was named after the shield maiden, who rallied people around her and protected her hometown from the whole army!" Raising her right hand, Astrid pointed at herself with her thumb, using a signature gesture. "My name is Astrid Arvidsson, I'm the Golden Dragon!" She said proudly. "And I challenged the Cats not because I want to show off, but because I'm not afraid of anything!" She took a step towards the other blonde. "Do you think I would cry if you won?" One more step forward. "Would I fall on my knees and ask for forgiveness for daring to call you all to the match?" One more step forward. "No, I would try again." Astrid stopped one step away from Katherine. "And then again and again if necessary, do you know why?" The Golden Dragon grinned. "Because I will never stop, I will crawl on broken glass and shit if I have to, I will make Niflheim melt and Muspelheim freeze, but I will go forward against the whole world so that my great ancestors will proudly pronounce my name, raising cups filled with mead in Valhalla." Without any remorse, the Golden Dragon took another step forward, violating Katherine's personal space and forcing their breasts press into each other. "So why don't you give me this thing to sign and make sure I'm ready to confirm every word I say?!"

[winner3]

Speak of the devil and she shall appear, they say.

And appear she did.

Kat paused when she heard The Golden Dragon's theme start up. Her signature smile of confidence deepened. The luchadora grinned from ear to ear as she looked up at the entrance ramp. Astrid Arvidsson appeared in her glory. She gestured and formed a crown over her head before making her way toward the ring. The crowd's reaction spoke volumes. Indeed they weren't on Astrid's turf. All over the arena and all over any LAW facility, you'd find fans and staff alike that happily call The Super Kitty the face of the company. And that showed when Arvidsson appeared here to confront her. The reactions Astrid got weren't quite as loud as the support that the fans showed for Katherine. But that spoke more towards Kat's presence at LAW than anything else. And more importantly, none of it slowed The Dragon down even for a second.

Her habit of interrupting promos from established veterans to get a match seemed to work to great effect. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? If this approach worked the last three times, why wouldn't it work a fourth? This time, it was made even better by the fact that Kat called Astrid out by name. The two evidently had business with each other. There could hardly be a better time to hash that out than now.

The luchadora placed a hand on her hip and looked down the entrance ramp as Astrid made her way to the ring. Much like Kat, Astrid's usual entrances saw her interact with the fans, shake a few hands, sign a few posters. But tonight just wasn't that type of night. Both women were here on business. Anyone watching could see that the Norsewoman was walking with a keen sense of purpose, even more so than usual. Each step was confident. Her expression was constant. Astrid was laser focused on the woman in the ring, stopping only briefly to collect a mic from the commentator's desk.

Kat met her gaze the entire time. She observed as Astrid leaped onto the ring apron in a single bound. She leaned over the top rope with her microphone in hand. For the first time, the two of them were able to look each other in the eye face to face. The entrance music faded. Kat gestured to the canvas with both hands as she invited Arvidsson to join her in the ring. The crowd roared with approval as The Super Kitty and The Golden Dragon met each other in the ring for the first time. When Astrid lead with the fact that she still thought her handicap match idea was a good one, Kat couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, you would, wouldn't you? Haha." She chuckled, but she could tell it was no joke. If there was one thing she was reading from Astrid, it was that the woman didn't waste time with small talk and pleasantries like jokes. It might have been funny to hear, especially at the onset of things, but Hart realized that this woman really would be willing to wrestle all three tag champions at once if the opportunity presented itself!

The luchadora gave Astrid her space. She gave The Golden Dragon the floor. She nodded as the lavender-eyed blonde recounted the events that led them to this point. Kat studied the woman's body language. She listened intently to the Norwegian warrior's words. The luchadora placed a fist under her own chin. Her other hand rested on her wide hip, still holding the clipboard with the contract. The accusations of hiding, and even worse cowardice, made The Super Kitty raise her eyebrows with a combination of surprise and intrigue. Who could rightfully accuse one of the biggest cornerstones of the premiere wrestling league in the world of cowardice?! The fans definitely didn't like that. Kat paused to take a look around the arena as the crowd and even the commentators made noises and began to raise questions.

Yet, their reactions didn't dissuade Astrid. They didn't hinder her resolve. She hushed the crowd, not dismissively, but with a tone that suggested she had more to say. The Golden Dragon didn't want to simply try to provoke Kat Hart into doing a match. she was going somewhere with this. Katherine, of course, wanted to hear more. With each step Astrid took a step forward, Kat followed suit. She didn't interrupt. But her expression did become more intense as she locked eyes with The Golden Dragon. This woman, Astrid, was nothing if not brazen and capable. As she paused to let everyone mull over her words, Kat nearly got bust to bust with the heavyweight.

But then Arvidsson stepped away. She had sunk her metaphorical knife into The Super Kitty's reputation. Now it was time to twist it, it seemed. And that twist came in the form of even stronger words!

Every match was a title match to her, Astrid proclaimed proudly in front of the whole arena and in front of the cameras for the whole world to hear. Those words were succinct, but they were powerful. In one sentence, she managed to convey her mindset and her attitude going into every single fight in her life! The Golden Dragon went on to explain that she treated every match as if it could be her last, that she fought with the same fervor and the same fire in her that her great ancestors did in their wars and their battles!

Finally, with the bold claim that there were no lengths to which she wouldn't go in order to rise to a challenge, Astrid stepped in, much closer than before, pushing her impressive chest and toned build into Kat's own, mashing their lasts busts together as both women refused to back down! Kat met her advance by holding her ground! The fans cheered wildly Arvidsson demanded the contract to sign. She was eager to continue making good on these claims, just as she had done in each match she had wrestled thus far in a LAW ring!

The fans went wild! Kat's eyes slowly drifted toward the clipboard in her hand. After looking at it, her blue eyes drifted towards Astrid's. She was nose to nose with this woman. The fire within Astrid seemed to spread to everyone else in the arena! If there was any notion of this woman being an upstart that was just looking for her fifteen minutes of fame, by now, it was entirely dispelled! Everyone in the arena wanted to see this match now! Everyone, including Kat Hart!

It took a moment for the reactions to die down enough for her to respond, but when they did, the toned, busty masked woman took a step back. She raised her mic.

"Heh, I've got goosebumps, Astrid. I guess you promo as well as you wrestle, huh?" Kat complimented the woman genuinely and then continued. Astrid made a strong impression, on her and on everyone watching. Kat couldn't help but clap, and she invited the audience to join in her cheering for her newfound rival. As the crowd continued acknowledging her, Hart waited for the cheers to die down.

"I like you, Astrid. And I don't mean that in the same, sarcastic, condescending way that a lot of the less savory girls in this company mean it. I mean that I truly do like you as a wrestler and as a rising star at LAW. There's just something about a woman with your spirit. About a woman with a strong personality that's so... proud and unapologetic about being who they are." Hart contemplated aloud.

"There's no subtleties with you, right? No ulterior motives. You came out here and told me- you told the entire world exactly who you are. You said you'd rise to any challenge and if needed, you'd keep rising to it! Over and over and over again until you move heaven and earth to overcome them!" Kat gestured, rolling her wrist and hand to emphasize the "over".

"I was taught that you never really truly know a person until you've shared a ring with them and the bell rings. But in this short time we've spent together, I think I've gotten to know you a little bit, Astrid. I've watched some of your work, seen some of your matches, and now that I'm looking you in the eyes, what I'm reading from you is that you'd rather just get to the good part, isn't that right?" Kat began to pace, circling Astrid as Astrid stood near the center of the ring.

"Well, I hope I've got a good read on you, Golden Dragon. Because I don't think you have a good read on me!" Kat stopped in place. She turned her attention to the woman before her. She stood face to face with Astrid. And with each word that would follow, she drew closer and closer to The Golden Dragon! Slowly her tone grew more serious. Fans in the stands began to perk up in anticipation of the famed Super Kitty firing back!

"We all know good and well now, who Astrid Arvidsson is. But we also know that Astrid Arvidsson.... don't know jack! About Kat Hart!!!" Kat roared into her mic as she intruded on Astrid's personal space, this time! Her buxom, chiseled form pressed against Arvidsson's own as they once again stood bust to bust!

"You gave that away for free when you stepped in here and had the gall to accuse ME of cowardice!" Hart placed a hand on her own large chest for emphasis.

"And you thought I was just gonna let that go?! Pick that mic up. Say it to me again! You think I turned down your challenge because I'm afraid to bring the hammer down on you? Afraid to tear you away from the heavens and send you crashing into the earth to give you the reality check you sore sorely need! You think I talk a lot because I like to hide behind my words? THAT'S what you think of me, Astrid?" Kat got hot about this. She has been wrestling for well over a decade. Kat was as close to being a household name, known in and out of the world of pro wrestling for her upstanding character and her positive impact on the business. She had been called a lot of things by other wrestlers but this was the first and only time that anyone had ever publicly, to her face, called her a coward and seemed to stand by it.

Needless to say, the crowd was not pleased! Super Kitty chants broke out as the luchadora stood up for herself and demanded that they revisit Astrid's comments before anything gets signed!

[skip-stop]

As expected, Katherine remained standing in place after the blonde approached her and made contact between their bodies. It would be too naive to believe that such a gesture would somehow discourage a star of such a high level. However, this was not Astrid's goal. The point was not to scare Katherine, but to make her fully understand that Astrid herself has absolutely no fear in the face of the champion. So after her speech was over, the Norwegian woman stared at the other blonde waiting for an answer.

Did she expect Katherine to just nod and hand her the contract? Well, it would certainly work in some other universe. But this was not a world of rainbows and unicorns, where everything is easy and simple. Therefore, Astrid was sure that the moment of signing the contract had not yet come, she was sure that an answer from the champion was waiting for her now. And when Katherine took a step back, it was clear that Astrid's assumption was correct.

The Norwegian woman chuckled softly when the champion took a few moments to encourage the audience to applaud. Usually such a gesture was used as a mockery. Trends and traditions were firmly entrenched within the walls of this arena, so it was not surprising that Astrid did not strongly believe in the sincerity of Katherine's good intentions. However, she did not focus on this, because she was sure that there would be something much more interesting ahead than just a call for applause in her direction.

A slight ironic smile appeared on Astrid's lips as the American woman began to speak. It seemed that the champion really heard Astrid's words, which allowed her to understand who she was and what she wanted. The reaction of the audience clearly indicated that they believed in the sincerity of the fact that their idol decided to praise the Golden Dragon. But Astrid was in no hurry to take it at face value.

Victoria and Lily were the main statistician in their team, but now Astrid didn't even need statistics. Yet none of the similar conversations she went through ended with one of the parties rejecting their own opinion. And so the blonde was sure that everything that Katherine had just said was just a preparation for something. No, there was no chance that the champion would just praise Astrid after what she said. The only question was what exactly the luchadora was leading to.

The answer to this question was received at the moment when Katherine began to approach Astrid again. The rhetoric and even the look of the other blonde quickly changed. Oh, now her true reaction to what the Norwegian woman had said about her was visible. The champion was angry. Astrid had no difficulty seeing how much Katherine was offended after being accused of cowardice. Judging by her words, her tone and her tough steps forward, she was seriously determined to deny Astrid's accusation. But if Astrid was the kind of person who easily retreats under such pressure, she would never have ended up here.

Therefore, the blonde strained her legs and pushed her chest forward when Katherine again established contact between their lush breasts. And if last time Astrid only forced their best parts of the body to touch, then this time the Golden Dragon made some effort to put pressure on the other blonde. Yes, that's right. Both metaphorically and directly, Astrid wanted to make it clear to the champion that she would stand her ground.

And although at first it seemed that Astrid intended to keep her composure, by the end of the luchadora's speech it was easy to notice that the Norwegian woman's expression had also changed. Her left eye involuntarily twitched a few times because of the words she had just heard. Was funny or not, but this was the fourth time she had heard the same thing only in different variations. It was worth admitting that Katherine did not say it directly, unlike Alison, Kyoko and Diana, but the meaning remained exactly the same as before. I'm a veteran and how dare you, who just arrived, accuse me of anything?

Katherine demanded to pick up the microphone and accuse her of cowardice again. Well. Instead of a microphone, Astrid wanted to raise her fist and send it straight into the teeth of the other blonde. The descendant of the great Vikings has never been distinguished by self-control in such situations. Alison escaped sich a fate, but Kyoko and Diana found out about it when they received a hook in the face after words similar to those that Katherine said. A spark ran through the lavender eyes and the Golden Dragon pursed her lips for a moment. Some viewers, especially those who saw how the previous similar episodes ended, held their breath.

Astrid blinked slowly, and then a smile suddenly returned to her face. If someone else had been in Katherine's place, she probably would not have changed her principles and would have started speaking the language of the fists. But since the champion still didn't understand something, the Golden Dragon decided to play this game. Reasons? As the luchadora correctly noted, Astrid was good at promos. But not because she spent hours preparing a pretentious speech, but because she said only what she thought. And the words spoken from the heart always go into the souls of people. She had something to say to Katherine. Therefore, she followed the champion's request and brought the microphone to her lips.

"Decided to suppress me with authority, huh?" Astrid asked, after which she moved forward hard in order to push the champion back a step. "You, champions and veterans, have one problem that for some reason everyone takes for granted." The blonde chuckled softly. "When you get to the top, you start looking from side to side, thinking that danger awaits you only from those who have passed the same path." She symbolically looked around before returning her gaze to Katherine. "And because of this, you all forget that sometimes to see danger, you just have to lower your head down a little bit." It would be much more revealing if it was Katherine who was three inches taller than Astrid. "I'm not going to deny all your merits, but I'm sick of your duplicity." At that moment, the right corner of Astrid's upper lip and even her right nostril twitched several times, which only confirmed the sincerity of her emotions. "You know, yes, now I've got a good read on you." The ironic smile again. "You are great Katherine Hart, the face of this company and so on." Astrid nodded, emphasizing the seriousness of her words. "So I suggest you stop whining like a little bitch and give me this fucking contract."

The hall was filled with noise. Someone supported Astrid's words, someone did not. This time opinions were very divided. Those who had the ability to think critically found meaning in the blonde's words. Of course, it's silly to deny the importance of experience, especially when it comes to the ring. So Katherine had every right to consider herself, if not the most, then one of the strongest in this federation. However, Astrid didn't care much about it. Like her friend, Charlotte, she believed that talent was much more important than any experience and bumber of matches. And so she wasn't going to let anyone point out to her that she hadn't yet walked the same path that champions and veterans had. And the other half of the audience did not agree with her way of thinking. Who was right? Only time will tell. But for now, Astrid still had something else she wanted to say. So she took a step forward, bumping into Katherine for the third time.

"You know what I think?" Astrid asked, after a ffad00pause. "The moment you saw my challenge, you thought of something." The blonde's eyes narrowed slightly. "What if she's really capable of it? What if she really can do it? At the cost of everything, but what if she can?" Of course, it was just an assumption and even if this assumption was correct, it is unlikely that the champion would admit it, but Astrid slightly raised her left eyebrow, as if checking Katherine's reaction. "It's hard to imagine what a disgrace tag champions would cover themselves with if they got their ass kicked by someone like me." The smile disappeared from Astrid's face. "That's why you decided to hedge your bets and refused this challenge."

The reaction to Astrid's words was almost absolute silence. Yes, it really was just her guess. But if it really was true? Then all that speech about Katherine being the face of the company cost exactly the same as a doughnut hole. This is what the audience was probably thinking about. But Astrid intended to save them from these reflections. She preferred facts to speculation. In addition, an attentive person could notice that she still hadn't repeated what the champion wanted to hear from her. It's time to fix it.

"Whatever your reasons for refusing a match with me against all three of you, this is not a reason to accuse you of cowardice, I agree." Astrid admitted it. "Do you know what is the real reason to accuse you of cowardice now?" Bending her head forward, Astrid brought her lips close to the other blonde's ear, while not removing the microphone so that everyone could hear it. "It's just you and me here right now, but you still haven't agreed."

Yes, that was the power of facts. Why? Because after this argument, the arena was once again filled with support for Astrid. The fact was that Katherine really was a champion, she really was the face of the company. And yet. At first she refused the challenge, where in her opinion the victory of her and her team was a foregone conclusion. And she was in no hurry to accept the challenge, even if now it was just about her and Astrid, not about anyone else. Yes, maybe Astrid was trying to take too big a bite. And surely many considered her behavior unacceptable. Many in her place would have treated the veteran with much more respect. Want some truth? She respected Katherine as a champion and she had no doubts about the strength of this woman. But she didn't think that the difference in the number of matches or anything else should play any role in this matter. So she wasn't going to listen to it anymore. Astrid intended to get this match.

"And now what?" Astrid asked, slightly raising her head, and this time anyone could see in her eyes that she literally demanded a direct answer.

[winner3]

Kat prompted Astrid to double down on her words. And when Astrid was given the chance to do just that, The Golden Dragon was too happy to prove to Kat something she already knew: that this woman would not and could not back down!

It was clear to Kat that Astrid would rather be exchanging fists right now rather than words. Kat, herself, was keen on the idea of getting there. A woman like Astrid practically oozed fighting spirit. Kat could tell that much from simply locking eyes with the Norwegian warrior princess. The twitching eye and the slow blink clued the luchadora in. This was all going to come to a head soon. And when it did, things were sure to implode!

Kat maintained eye contact as her fellow buxom blonde raised her mic. She was forced to take a step back when the taller blonde stepped forward into her toned frame!

Astrid analyzed Kat. She gave her appraisal. She made her demand, and the crowd roared when she did.

Kat smiled and chuckled to herself as Arvidsson made her "suggestion". In truth, she was taken aback. But she knew that this was just the tip of the iceberg. Astrid continued. She continued betting on herself, going as far as to say that The Super Kitty - the face of LAW denied her challenge out of fear. The reactions from the live crowd didn't stop. But neither did Astrid. Kat stood there patiently. She brought her hand to her ear when her rival whispered into it. The difference in height was palpable, and so was the difference in the mindset between these two athletes.

The Golden Dragon laid out the facts. She demanded an answer. She asked what came next. Kat waited a moment for the crowd's reactions to die down. She looked down for a second and nodded to herself. Abruptly she'd raise her head and once again meet Astrid's intense gaze with one of her own.

"Ohhhh I'm so glad you asked!" Hart began in an excited tone and with a toothy grin on her face.

"Because what comes now is the best part! What comes now is the part where I enlighten you! What comes now is the part where I piss you off!" Hart dared to get nose-to-nose with this woman.

"See, almost everything you said just now is so far off the mark that I can't help but laugh, Astrid!" The Super Kitty began, with an amused grin on her face.

"You're the last one to want to hear "veteran advice", I'm sure. In fact, I'd bet you've already grown sick of the sound of my voice. But you're gonna listen to it anyway! Because there are some things I need to set you straight on!" Kat raised her index finger to Astrid.

"And here's the first item! You seem to have this wild notion that each of us champions and top girls in this company walked the same path. You seem to think we're all made of the same stuff. And the kicker here is: you've got a bigger chip on your shoulder than most LAW Champions do!"

"Take a look at the landscape of this company! Take in the fact that all the champions and workhorses all look, act, and think very differently!" Kat gestured broadly.

"If I was gonna give you my best Rose Gold impression, I'd have exploded and thrown a tantrum and walked off by now! If I had it in me to channel Astrid Ostberg or Alaina Sanders, I'm sure we'd already be fighting. They love to fight about as much as you do!"

"If I was Diana, I'd give you a few more sermons before we locked horns. Here's a newsflash, Astrid, I am none of those women!"

"Even among the tag champs. I'm no Tracy Canon. I am no Aurora Estrella." Kat shook her head. She began to pace around Astrid, walking in circles around The Golden Dragon as she continued this war of words, scrutinizing the buxom blonde, taking note of her reactions.

""Where is she going with this?", you ask yourself. I'm letting you in on something I don't think you knew before. Aurora had no problems with taking the match! And Tracy was all too eager to teach you how foolhardy an idea it was by destroying you 3 on 1!"

"I shot down your idea! I refused it, personally! That's the only reason it never happened! And that's why it's not gonna happen!" Kat stopped in front of Astrid. She emphasized her point by stepping into the Norwegian in much the same way Astrid had done to her earlier! Kat tried to force Astrid back!

"I did it for the same reason that I haven't handed you this contract yet!" Kat looked at the clipboard bearing the contract. She bent her arm and raised it slightly.

"I did it to protect you...." Kat let the words hang there, knowing they would cause visible confusion and bewilderment.

"And that burns you up inside, doesn't it, Astrid? The idea that I'm protecting you from yourself...."

"You should realize by now that you and I are very different. That I'm not like other opponents you've faced before. See, one big difference between myself and Allison Seong, Diana Accera, Kyoko Akan, and you, yourself is that I'm not the kind of fighter that can step into the ring with someone and go all out just for the sake of it. I can't just beat someone down for sport. If I beat you up, I'm gonna make sure you know exactly why. I'm gonna make sure you learn from it." Kat would shrug.

"You'd know that about me if you did your homework. Look up any Kat Hart match. I could be wrestling you, I could be wrestling the next World Champion, I could be wrestling a broom, and I'll still put on a contest that everyone the world over wants to see! Because the biggest difference between us is that I care just as much about putting on a good match as I do about winning it." The fans chimed in to cheer the masked woman here.

"But you, Astrid." And the cheers turned to boos the moment Kat gestured back to Astrid and referenced her

"You don't have a reverse gear, do you? Doesn't matter who you fight. You set foot on this sacred ground - in the squared circle - in MY ring, and you step on the gas until the woman across from you just can't keep up with you anymore." Kat would nod to the woman, full of confidence and assurance in her understanding.

"And that's what you want from me, right? You don't want the Kat Hart that intentionally holds back for her opponent's benefit and to put on a show for the fans! You don't want the Kat Hart that's out here refusing your match requests because she doesn't think you'll learn anything from them...."

"No no no, you want Inaugural World Tag Team Champion Kat Hart! You want the Kat Hart that's defending this thing day in and day out!" Kat patted the golden belt she had over her shoulder. The sound of her hand hitting the metal reverberated off the mic.

"You want the Kat Hart that's earned the right to be called the face of this company! You want the Kat Hart that's main eventing the biggest pay-per-views back to back! You want the Kat Hart that double main evented both weeks at Fight The LAW!" Kat slowly leaned in and looked up at Arvidsson.

"But here's the fact that you haven't taken in yet, Astrid." Kat would whisper to put emphasis on her delivery for this next part. She drew near, and mirroring what Astrid did to her before, Hart would audibly whisper the next line into The Dragon's ear.

"You don't get her for freeeee~" Kat shook her head, really leaning into the silliness and seriousness of her tone here.

"Now you might find that condescending." Kat resumed her more serious tone.

"Maybe it's not the way you prefer to do things, maybe it's not the way your ancestors would have done combat. But like I said, us champions and us top ladies, us tough girls- we each have our own way of going about things. And I just laid mine out for you."

"Ohhhhh, but we haven't hit the best part just yet!" Hart would raise her index finger suddenly and continue pacing.

"Cause we're getting there right now! Do you know what the best part about all this is, Astrid!? The best part is, again I've seen your work- you're good at what you do! On the mic, in this ring, you're absolutely going to help carry this company forward one of these days! I can see that much! It might take five matches, it might take two, heck it might only take one! But eventually, you will drag the best version of me forward and you will wrestle her! I completely believe that! And that's when I get to bring my point home!"

"I said it before but by now it should all be coming together. If I beat you up, if you make me go all out against you, I'm gonna make sure you learn something." Kat would plant her feet firmly in front of Astrid. Her expression and her tone grew exponentially graver. She stared right into the windows of Astrid's soul.

"Astrid Arvidsson....Golden Dragon....I know enough about you to know that if we step into the ring together for a match, you're going to do everything in your power to make sure that you leave nothing behind in this ring. And to make sure that I don't either. You're going to make sure that you get the Kat Hart you're satisfied with. That you get the tough girl you're looking for because nothing excites you more than finding the tallest mountain to climb - the toughest girl to beat...."

"Know this, Astrid. What's waiting for you when you push me to the brink isn't some big, fun, exciting challenge...."

"It's not a fall from heaven to earth.....it's not broken glass....the only things waiting for you for when you get what you want from me are a hard-fought loss, and more importantly, a lesson." The legendary luchadora began to raise her voice.

"And that lesson is something you are in sore need of! That lesson is the fact that there's a big, big, big, BIG difference! Between your brand of fearlessness- between your desire to rise to any challenge....and ramming your head into a wall....over and over and over again....just hoping.... PRAYING.....TO WHATEVER GODS YOU AND YOUR GREAT ANCESTORS BELIEVE IN that you somehow burst through it and make it to the other side!" A long pause followed. Kat lowered her voice. She took a step towards her newfound rival. She put an exclamation point on her statement.

"Astrid, I am your wall. I am your "tough girl", and you won't be getting past me." The masked woman shook her head with confidence in this, firmly believing it to be fact. Sure of herself that she had more than ruffled Astrid's feathers.

Kat raised her belt high. She held the clipboard out toward Astrid. The crowd roared with thunderous approval! And Hart spoke over them, adding to the hype!

"And now that you know exactly what it is you're signing up for, I can say this in good conscience. Sign this! And seal your fate!"

[skip-stop]

The only thing Katherine had to do was just hand Astrid the contract. She would prove that she really is the great champion who is not afraid of possible difficulties. It could all end with one signature. But. No. Of course no. After Astrid asked the last question, the other blonde didn't hand her the contract. Instead, she started talking. And when the descendant of the great Vikings heard what part was waiting for her now, she immediately had three rather dissimilar desires.

The first thing she wanted to do was slap herself in the face. Seriously? Even after Katherine said she had good read on Astrid, was she still going to try to enlighten and even piss her? Cool story, Bob. There was no other way to describe it. Although on the other hand, it showed that the champion still did not understand who Astrid was and why she was here. After all, if Katherine really understood and accepted this, then she would not have started a new tirade.

No less strongly, the Golden Dragon wanted to clench her fist and send it straight into the face of the American woman. Patience has never been the blonde's strong suit. She has said so much today that in a sense she has used up the word limit for the month ahead. However, she did it because she wanted to point out that Katherine contradicts herself. Okay, good. She is one of the strongest, she is the face of the company and so on. Good. These are facts. No questions. So was it really normal for such a woman to try to evade a direct challenge? From Astrid's point of view, everything was simple. Either you accept. Or you refuse. It's very simple. But even after all, Katherine decided to spend time talking. Yes, it made Astrid angry.

Astrid's last wish woke up at the moment when Katherine was so close to her that their noses literally touched each other. The Norwegian woman was wondering if the champion would be able to keep such a smug expression on her face if she kissed her right now? After all, Astrid had a weakness for strong women. Besides, she was sure that Katherine would have started thinking three times after that before trying to establish such close contact again.

However, Astrid had to restrain each of these impulses. Her manager asked her not to do anything stupid, so as not to incur the wrath of the audience and management. Therefore, the blonde only tilted her head slightly to the side, trying to at least pretend that she was interested in what Katherine was going to say. The Golden Dragon has recently gained experience in such things thanks to Diana. It was one of the few things for which the Norwegian woman was grateful to the former LAWLESS champion.

Literally immediately, the descendant of the great Vikings raised her left eyebrow. A chip on her shoulder? Was it a joke? It was hard for her to believe that Katherine said this with full seriousness. Perhaps the champion should have taken off her mask and put on glasses. Because if in her opinion Astrid looked like a whiner, then she has serious vision problems. However, what Katherine said turned out to be only an introduction to something that literally made the descendant of the great Vikings look at her as at the idiot.

"What?" She asked in a barely audible voice, as if she didn't understand the words of the other blonde.

But this question was rhetorical and was not addressed to the American woman. Astrid struggled to find at least some logic in Katherine's words that each of the champions and veterans are not like each other. Why did this cause such a dissonance in the blonde's head? At least for the simple reason that she did not say that all champions and veterans are the same.

Every person is unique. This is a fact. Victoria believed that Astrid, Charlotte and Nerissa could well be sisters, given that they were similar to each other in many ways. But the funny thing was that they were similar to each other in exactly the same degree as they were different from each other. Especially Charlotte and Nerissa.

Therefore, Astrid did not say and never intended to say that all champions and veterans behave the same in everything. However, she trusted statistics. And the statistics showed that every veteran that the Golden Dragon had a chance to meet in the ring treated her with disdain because she was considered a newbie for LAW. That's exactly what she said. And that's exactly what she meant.

And it seems that even Katherine, who started pacing around Astrid, realized that her words needed clarification. The blonde finally heard something interesting. Katherine admitted that the rest of her team members were not against accepting the Golden Dragon challenge. Well, it turned out to be a surprise.

The champion decided to emphasize the importance of these words by taking a firm step towards Astrid. The Norwegian woman strained the muscles of her body, but it did not save her from the push she received. The blonde was forced to take a step back. Yeah, she wasn't a terminator. And although she didn't doubt her own strength, Katherine pointedly reminded her that she wasn't the only big girl here. Astrid bared her teeth in response to this show of strength from the other blonde.

Katherine's words, by the way, raised new questions. If the her team was not against, then why did this match not take place? Yes, everyone, without exception, including Astrid, realized that the tag champions positioned such a match only as a lesson for an impudent upstart. Good. Accepted. Next. The descendant of the great Vikings wanted to hear the answer. Why? Why didn't this match take place?

Hearing Katherine's next words, Astrid felt as if Thor had hit her on the head with his hammer. In a sense, they went back to the very beginning, because it all started with about the same words. Katherine wanted to protect her from a shameful loss. Yes, the champion said about the same thing when they started their little skirmish on Twitter. And if no one could see Astrid's reaction that time, then this time everyone could see that the descendant of the great Vikings squeezed her microphone with such force that her knuckles turned white.

"You..." Astrid said through her teeth.

Victoria, who was in the hall, took off her glasses and covered her eyes with her hand. She asked her ward not to do rash things today. But, knowing the blonde, the Englishwoman was sure that a line had just been crossed that should not have been crossed. There was nothing she could do about it, but she knew that now Astrid would rush forward to punch Katherine in the face. And yet... to her surprise, a few seconds later she heard not the sound of a collision of a face and a fist, but the continuation of the speech of the tag champion.

What was the reason why the Golden Dragon restrained a huge desire to pounce on the American woman? Hard to say. Perhaps some role in this was played by the fact that after the confrontation with Diana, she realized that some things do not work the way she would like. The former LAWLESS champion made every effort to make fun of Astrid in front of as many people as possible. The aardvark episode will come to Astrid in nightmares for the rest of her days. But still, it taught the descendant of the great Vikings that sometimes you need to make some effort to restrain yourself and not let emotions take over you. Judging by the cheeky smile on Katherine's face, she had a lot more to say.And Astrid was willing to listen.

But the longer Katherine talked, the darker the Norwegian woman's face became. Go all out just for the sake of it. Just beat someone down for sport. If I beat you up. Your homework. About winning it. The blonde even slightly lowered her head down, which caused several golden strands of hair to slide over her shoulders. She felt as if something was stirring inside her. What was that? Her heart just started beating faster? Yes, true. But that wasn't the reason for this strange feeling.

Astrid began to feel the pressure. Something seemed to be trying to pin her to the ground. Katherine began to make a very loud emphasis on the fact that she is the best. With a spectacular movement, she patted the gold belt on her shoulder, while reminding her that she defends it day in and day out. In her ring. Familiar words that Astrid had already heard. But that didn't make the current situation any easier.

For the descendant of the great Vikings, it became clear exactly what the champion was driving at. But Katherine wasn't going to hide it, because she herself said that the best part was waiting for the Golden Dragon ahead. The audience unanimously supported every word of their idol. Right now, when Katherine once again listed all her achievements and merits, it might seem that Astrid had shrunk in size. Despite being several inches taller than the American woman, she was now like Thumbelina, while Katherine towered over her.

Yes, Katherine undoubtedly decided to literally crush Astrid with authority. Now the difference between them was perfectly visible, because Astrid could not boast of any of the achievements of the other blonde. She didn't have a gold belt. She wasn't a veteran. She was not the face of the federation. She hasn't won any major tournaments. She didn't even take part in a PPV match, not to mention winning such matches. All she had was her talent and her aspirations. Each scale has two sides. There was a gold nugget on Katherine's side. There was a piece of coal on Astrid's side. Conclusion? The conclusion was extremely simple. Astrid was unworthy of even standing in the same ring with a woman like Katherine.

The tag champion almost directly said this, pointing out that someday Astrid will be able to move this company forward. After some number of matches. In other words, maybe in a few years, maybe in a year, maybe in a month, maybe in a week, maybe tomorrow. But. Not. Today.

It was all like a dream. No, not like a dream, but like a nightmare. Even a blind and deaf person would be able to understand what was happening at that moment. Just a public execution. Yes, of course, this has happened before. All this could be summarized in one simple question. Who the hell are you? Yes, Astrid was already familiar with this question. She heard it literally every time she met this or that strong woman. But Katherine has taken this question to a completely different level. And she did it perfectly, because it was impossible to deny that of all the people Astrid managed to face, the tag champion was the most significant figure on the LAW board.

The cheers of the audience and Katherine's fans only aggravated the situation of the Golden Dragon. Even Victoria, who tried to evaluate everything exclusively from a rational point of view, understood that now Astrid was left without any support. Katherine literally destroyed any hope of Astrid reaching the hearts of the audience. She just didn't have any counterarguments. And when you have no counterarguments.... it only means that your opponent is right.

Katherine decided to strike the last hit in order to burn the earth and deprive Astrid of the last remnants of confidence. She didn't even disdain to mention Astrid's gods and ancestors. But the most important point was in simple words. A hard-fought loss. The audience greeted these words with such enthusiasm that any presidential candidate could envy during a speech to the electorate. The audience believed that this is the only thing that awaits Astrid in the match with Katherine.

Amid the hubbub of applause, the champion raised the belt above her head and handed the contract to the Golden Dragon. However, instead of signing it, Astrid lowered her head so low that her golden hair literally covered her face. Without a doubt, after such a powerful speech, the only thing left for a Norwegian woman to feel was her own worthlessness. Who is she compared to the great Katherine Hart? Memories flew through her mind like a high-speed train.

"Excuse me? Just what in the hell are you doing here?" Alison's voice sounded.

"Fine speech...But who in the actual fuck are you?" Karen's voice sounded near her ear.

"I've come out here and talked about how I'm better than everyone, right before I fight someone who thinks otherwise and prove it in this ring." Kyoko declared.

"You're not getting a fight, because you don't deserve one." Diana laughed at her.

How did Astrid feel now? The answer lay on the surface. Anyone who was in the arena at that moment could have tried to put themselves in Astrid's place. Therefore, almost everyone was sure that the Golden Dragon had already regretted starting all this a hundred times. Who the hell are you? Such a simple question. The question that had been haunting her since day one. The question that Katherine raised to the absolute. Something inside Astrid opened its eyes with vertical pupils.

"I thought you were different..." she said without raising the microphone to her lips. "I thought you were different from everyone I've fought in this ring. But you're wrong, Katherine. You look a lot more like Alison, Karen, Kyoko and Diana than you think. Do you want to know what unites you?"

Astrid raised her head. Golden hair slid across her face. And then she opened her eyes. There was practically no emotion on her face. But her eyes. Rage could be seen in them. Crystal-clear rage, coming from the very depths of the soul. Whether it was a trick of the light or not, but at that moment it might have seemed that for a split second the beautiful lavender eyes turned bloody red. The Norwegian woman's lips curved in a barely noticeable but defiant smile.

"You woke up the dragon."

It seemed at that moment the whole world stopped. Perhaps it was only an illusion, but all the sounds seemed to have disappeared. Only silence remained. The silence, which was so heavy that it caused real pain in the shoulders. It only lasted a few seconds. And only one thing was clear. It was catastrophically difficult to grasp and even more difficult to explain it. Perhaps most people did not have time to realize this, but everyone, without exception, knew that something was going to happen now. The Golden Dragon's eyes were fixed on the woman standing a foot and a half away from her. And now only one question was important. What exactly was going to happen?

Astrid opened her fingers and, as if in slow motion, the microphone, which had been in her hand a moment ago, rushed to the mat. Did she do it on purpose? Everyone could try to find the answer to this question on their own. Someone would probably risk thinking that she did it in order to distract the attention of the other blonde. But the only indisputable fact was that Astrid needed her right hand free. For what? The answer to this question was received at the very second when the microphone with a soul-rending sound fell on the mat.

Astrid took a step forward. Astrid tilted her body forward. Astrid moved her right shoulder forward. Astrid threw her right fist forward. And only someone who had a skillful knowledge of boxing could appreciate the beauty of this moment. The descendant of the great Vikings did it all at the same time. One of the most difficult boxing techniques that can be seen extremely rarely. The best punch is the one that involves all the most important parts of the body at the same time. Because only such a punch has not only truly wild power, but also literally unimaginable speed. Considering that Astrid's body was almost entirely made up of muscles, as well as the fact that she was in a state of real rage…

Most of the spectators let out a scream at the moment when the Golden Dragon's fist crashed into Katherine's solar plexus. The sound of knuckles colliding with flesh stuck in the ears of everyone who saw it. For those who had a good relationship with fantasy, it was very easy to understand that Astrid almost literally wanted to punch Katherine through with this right cross. And although this was not far from the truth, in fact, the blonde's goals were more prosaic. With this punch, she wanted to paralyze the tag champion and make her bend in half.

"My wall you say..." Astrid would have growled.

To the hooting of the audience, she intended to grab Katherine's throat with her right hand and squeeze it so hard as if she wanted to break the laryngeal cartilage of the other blonde. However, the Golden Dragon had other intentions. She squeezed Katherine's throat so hard that the American woman literally had no chance to say anything. Astrid had heard enough. And now she didn't want even one word to come out of Katherine's mouth. Pulling the tag champion up, she intended to make her lift her head. She wanted Katherine to silently look into her eyes again.

"You know what I think? Despite the fact that I don't have anything from your list of achievements... my ancestors are smiling at me, Katherine." A flame seemed to dance in the lavender eyes. "Can you say the same?"

A rhetorical question. And, nevertheless, if Katherine had a desire to find the answer, then Astrid would give her a hint. Leaning down, the Golden Dragon intended to wrap her left arm around the other blonde's left thigh and press her shoulders against Katherine's front side. As if at the snap of fingers, the noise in the arena became so loud that the walls seemed to start shaking. Yes, only Katherine's fans came here today. But even they knew. Even they knew what was about to happen.

Straightening up to her full height, Astrid intended to lift Katherine onto her shoulders in a fireman's carry position. She could have sworn she saw some of the audience clutching their heads, unable to believe what was happening. This made the descendant of the great Vikings smile. Yes, Katherine had really taught her a lesson. And now it's Astrid's turn. And the meaning of this lesson was exactly the same as in all previous cases. When you poke a sleeping dragon with a stick, be ready to burn.

Astrid held her breath. And this time the hall was not plunged into silence. This time, the noise in the arena reached its maximum. And, accompanied by this noise, the Golden Dragon intended to throw Katherine's legs back. Perhaps in the eyes of most, Astrid really was nothing. But at the moment when she started to fall on her back, grabbing Katherine's head, she intended to make it clear that she didn't care what the tag champion and anyone else thought about her.

Astrid was a fighter. Yes, any fighter always remains a person subject to emotions. But there is only one emotion that a fighter is literally forbidden to feel. Doubts. Doubts inevitably lead to defeat. When a fighter begins to doubt themselves, that's the end. Therefore, there was no doubts in Astrid's heart. She knew who she was. She's Astrid Arvidsson. She's the Golden Dragon. No one will make her doubt herself. No one ever. And that's what she was going to literally drive into Katherine's head, smashing it into the mat with one of the most destructive moves in her arsenal, which she called the Jormungandr's mouth!

[winner3]

It was a good thing that the fans and the commentators watching this were enjoying the exchange between these two stars. Because it was plain to see that things were breaking down fast! To say there was tension brewing between Astrid and Kat was an understatement.

In perhaps just about the most roundabout way possible Kat explained herself. She explained why she couldn't just accept Astrid's initial challenge to a handicap match in good conscience. She explained that she didn't use her legacy to bully other women - that she wasn't out to just squash other wrestlers and move on. Kat explained that she didn't pay Astrid's proposed idea any heed because she wanted to protect The Golden Dragon. Not because she wanted to make Astrid feel small or incomparable to The Super Kitty, but because to Kat, such a match would simply serve no purpose.

The crowd got more and more behind Katherine with each word she spoke. She built towards her point and she thrust it onto Arvidsson with gusto! The moment finally arrived! Kat handed the contract to the Viking Warrior Princess.

Astrid went silent for a moment. The crowd was still going nuts. The Golden Dragon's demeanor wasn't lost in Katherine, of course. The luchadora noted to herself that Astrid's expression had been darkening for minutes now. Her head hung lower than it had all night. It was clear that Kat's speech struck a nerve or three. Hart was perhaps more empathetic than anyone else that had the right to call themselves one of the very best at LAW. But even she couldn't possibly know what was on Astrid's mind. The Super Kitty made her newfound rival give pause. She didn't know that this pause was born from doubt. And most importantly, Kat did not fully comprehend the wrath she had incurred at the cost of sowing even a single seed of doubt in the mind of Arvidsson!

The next few words that fell from Astrid's lips puzzled Katherine more than anything else.

The beautiful buxom, blue-eyed luchadora would lean her upper body towards Astrid. She kept a hand on her hip. For the first time tonight, Kat's face formed an expression that could evoke concern.

"Hmm?" Hart would reply, not getting what Astrid was driving at, hoping to learn more.

The question that came next was even more vexing. Alison, Karen, Kyoko, and Diana were some of the strongest personalities on the LAW roster. And they all had negative feelings about Kat. What common thread could possibly link them all together?

"Beats me." The masked woman would shrug with a raised eyebrow.

But the second Astrid raised her head, it became all too obvious that the question was rhetorical!

As they made eye contact, beneath that collected, determined expression of Astrid's, behind those beautiful lavender eyes, Katherine could see the fury that she stirred within this woman! "Woke the dragon" encapsulated things perfectly! But unlike Alison or Diana or Kyoko or Karen, viewers could swear that The Dragon's wrath this time around came from a very different place!

Katherine's eyes widened and dilated. All at once, the situation seemed to be turned on its head! "Super Kitty" Kat Hart had all the momentum in the world, not just at this stage in her career, but in this exchange here tonight! Just a moment ago, if Astrid had signed and went about her way, the story of tonight would have been how Kat poised herself in this promo to make good on her words! How Hart amassed momentum going into the match with nothing but simple words! How Katherine Hart was going to give Astrid Arvidsson a hard-fought loss!

Things were oh so different now.

Katherine's eyes glanced towards the mic that Astrid had cast aside. By the time she directed her focus back to The Golden Dragon, by the time she tried to lock eyes with Astrid once more, it was already too late!

"UUUUUUFFF!" A deep groan left Katherine's lips!

Perhaps every bit as impressive as the technique and the power with which Astrid threw this punch was her speed! This was no sucker punch! No, each member of The SWAT Cats had been jumped by heels often enough to tell you that Astrid connecting here wasn't something you could attribute to the element of surprise alone. No, The Golden Dragon was simply that good and that visceral, especially when enraged!

The crowd let out reactions of shock and surprise as Astrid's right cross struck true! In the slow-motion replays you could see the force of the blow ripple through Kat's toned, chiseled frame! Immediately, Kat's arms would lower! Her mouth went agape as Astrid drilled her solar plexus, right above her navel! Those knuckles bit deep! Deep enough to deprive Katherine of all her stamina in the heat of the moment! The luchadora doubled over immediately! But the effects of the blow were plain to see! Had Astrid not caught Kat by the throat, The Super Kitty would have fallen forward and collapsed in a heap on the canvas!

"Ack!" Hart would cough as Astrid's stern and oppressive grip tightened over her throat! Kat opened her mouth to speak. She weakly reached for the wrist of the arm that was crushing her throat. But no words would come. The tag champ couldn't break free!

With a few parting words, the hulking Norwegian Amazon pulled Katherine onto her shoulders and hoisted her up into a Fireman's Carry! Katherine was still winded from the blow to her core! Her arms and legs hung lifelessly from Astrid's shoulders! Every fan in the arena, even the commentary team reacted with dismay as Astrid set Katherine up for her finisher right there on national television! And just as the volume crescendoed and reached its height, Astrid threw Kat's thick legs back and came down with the luchadora's head in her grasp, driving Kat headfirst into the canvas with a Fireman's Carry cutter that The Dragon dubbed "Jormungandr's Mouth", a finishing move that needed no introduction! Astrid had demonstrated the potency of her rendition of the move firsthand!

Much like the two of them had discussed falling from the heavens earlier, Kat's skull would descend and collide wordlessly with the canvas beneath her! The impact saw the luchadora flip onto her back! Kat would end up laid out beside Astrid! Her arms and legs would be sprawled out. The contract was just a short distance away from Kat's open palms. The golden title belt was a short distance from her other hand, both within arm's reach. Yet, Kat could not grab either.

The Super Kitty's expression was utterly dazed. Her eyes were open, but there were no thoughts, no expression. In mere seconds, The Golden Dragon laid out The Super Kitty! No matter what anyone thought, no matter what commentary or the fans said, Arvidsson proved that she would not be made to doubt herself. She knocked Kat Hart clean out. The toned, heavyweight luchadora could only stare up at the lights. Her massive chest heaved as she took deep breaths on nothing but instinct alone.

Astrid had made her point by making short work of LAW's famed Super Kitty! All eyes were on Arvidsson as she quite literally took all semblance of momentum back from Katherine by reducing her to a disheveled heap laying in the middle of the ring! Contract and title belt and all!

[skip-stop]

It was hardly a support. However, even the dead would have heard the noise that filled the arena at the moment when Astrid lifted Katherine onto her shoulders. Perhaps there were ovations here and there in support of the Norwegian woman, but mostly it was just a reaction to such an unexpected turn of events. Yes, the faces of the audience best reflected their shock at what was happening. Today they came here to listen to their idol. And they couldn't contain their emotions when their champion ended up on the shoulders of the Golden Dragon.

When Astrid threw Katherine down and her head rammed in the mat, it seemed not only the ring, but even the walls of the arena trembled. The Golden Dragon spared no effort, at that moment she was overcome with rage. Her father always said there was a dragon inside her. Usually, this monster was in sleep. Only when Astrid was in a strong rush of emotions, the dragon inside her opened his eyes. Rage gave her power. And she used this power to destroy the woman who caused the rage of the descendant of the great Vikings.

She didn't stay in the lying position for long. Literally immediately after Katherine rolled on her back, Astrid first took a sitting position, and then rose to one knee, turning to face the other blonde. Astrid's chest rose and fell heavily. There was still fire dancing in her beautiful lavender eyes. Her teeth were bared. She fought the urge to mount Katherine and turn her head into mincemeat.

Only after several heavy breaths the Golden Dragon finally realized that the other blonde was lying absolutely still. Thanks to her rage, Astrid seemed to have removed all limits and exerted so much strength that she managed to knock the champion out with just one move. The realization of this to some extent cooled the descendant of the great Vikings. And although it was clear from her face that her rage had not disappeared anywhere, the flame in her eyes was no longer as bright as before.

Accompanied by a mixed reaction from the audience, Astrid got to her feet and straightened to her full height. They were definitely unhappy with what she had done. But at the same time, they were certainly impressed. In a sense, they didn't even know how they should react to it properly. However, the Golden Dragon didn't care much about their reaction. She wasn't going to steal fans from Katherine. Something else was important to her. Speaking of which...

Astrid faced a choice. Tough choice. Yes, she managed to demonstrate in all its glory that she was more than Katherine thought. But in Astrid's opinion, that wasn't enough. She wanted Katherine to remember this day. She wanted everyone to remember this day. Looking down at the champion, Astrid's eyes narrowed slightly. If she puts her foot on this woman's chest right now, no one will forget it. She was sure of it. Few people will approve of it, but everyone will remember how she flexed her muscles over the lifeless body of the great Katherine Hart. For a shorm moment Astrid imagined herself and Katherine under her feet on the cover of a magazine. The corners of the Golden Dragon's lips lifted slightly at this thought.

"Would be cool, huh..." she said softly to herself.

Another option was to remove her mask. Everyone, without exception, knew how much the luchadores cared about their masks. For them it is a real symbol. A real shrine. And wasn't that a great way to embarrass Katherine after she tried to embarrass Astrid? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and evil for evil. Justice in its purest form, isn't it?

However, instead of taking a step towards her rival and turning her fantasy into reality, the blonde took a step aside. At first, the arena seemed to sink into silence, but then the noise began to return. The reason for this was that they understood what Astrid wanted to do. The descendant of the great Vikings bent down and reached for Katherine's title.

When Astrid straightened up and looked at the golden belt in her hands. It was a strange feeling. Lightning seemed to run from her fingertips and all over her body. It was a damn good feeling. Looking at the title in her hands, Astrid seemed to be hypnotized. She had left MMA in the past and now did not consider it a part of her life. The past must remain in the past. Therefore, in fact, it was the first time she held the title in her hands. And even though this belt didn't belong to her, her heart began to beat faster.

No, putting a foot on Katherine's chest wouldn't be enough. But if Astrid had done it by lifting Katherine's title over her head, it would definitely have gone down in history. There were a lot of different women in LAW. Everyone had their own aspirations and dreams. Each had their own methods of achieving these aspirations and dreams. But Astrid was sure that if someone else had been in her place, then in most cases it would have ended exactly as she had just imagined. A foot on Katherine's chest and her title above the head.

"Gold..." Astrid muttered, looking at the belt. "It fits my hair perfectly..."

As if coming out of hypnosis, she was again immersed in the noise of the audience. And this time she caught a note of obvious discontent. It seems they were thinking the same thing as Astrid herself. And there was no doubt that if she raised Katherine's title over her head, it would literally cause a storm of indignation. But didn't she deserve this moment of glory? Katherine wanted to crush her with authority. Katherine wanted to show that compared to her, Astrid is still nobody here. Katherine wanted to show that Astrid needed "protection". Astrid wondered if she was ready to say it all again now that she was lying on the mat?

The Golden Dragon turned and took a step towards the champion. It was hard to tell if Katherine was completely unconscious, but nevertheless, Astrid stared at the other blonde. Now, as she stood over the American woman, it seemed that she was making a decision. And it was partly true. Astrid was really lost in thought for a moment. But not about what she was going to do. She has already closed this question for herself.

Instead of putting her foot on the champion's chest, Astrid squatted down next to Katherine's head. Yes, Astrid was an infinitely proud woman. And she really wanted to do this to the other blonde. The temptation was too great. But she didn't. Perhaps she was not as noble as Charlotte, but honor was not the last word for her. And even though she wanted to destroy Katherine for everything she said, Astrid still respected her status as a champion. Unlike Katherine, Astrid did not deserve the right to raise the title over her head. Yet.

Reaching out with her free hand to the side, the Golden Dragon picked up the microphone and brought it to her mouth. A lot of words were said today. But she still had something to say. And even if Katherine didn't hear her at that moment, she wanted absolutely everyone to hear it.

"You don't seem to understand," she said. "I'm not the second one." The fire started dancing in the lavender eyes again. "I'm not the second Karen Starring, I'm not the second Alaina Sanders, I'm not the second Katherine Hart and I'm not the second Astrid Ostberg."

The Golden Dragon paused briefly. Not only to emphasize the meaning of the words she was about to say, but also to put Katherine's golden belt on her waist. The smile on the blonde's face widened. Her rage seemed to have evaporated and now on the face of the descendant of the great Vikings there was only that unshakable confidence with which she came here.

"I'm the first Astrid Arvidsson!"

Perhaps only those whose commitment to Katherine was unshakable were able to remain silent at that moment. The others seemed to explode. Yes, there was no audience here today, who came here specifically for Astrid. But now they had no reason to doubt who she was. She knew that not everyone believed her words when they first met her. But she only saw it as an opportunity. She saw it as an opportunity to prove that every word she said came from the heart.

"And if you decide that you're going to be a wall that's standing in my way, then I will crush you!"

It was after these words that the Norwegian woman reached for the clipboard. Taking it in the right hand, Astrid disconnected the pen and at the bottom of the page first wrote her name, and then put a sweeping signature. With a smile on her face, she placed the contract on Katherine's chest, and then bent the other blonde's arm, covering it. It's done. Astrid got to her feet, but her gaze was still fixed on the champion.

"See you soon, Katherine," she said as a goodbye to the American woman underneath her feet, then looked around at the audience. "And you too, huh!"

She had nothing more to say. Turning around, Astrid headed to the edge of the ring and rolled under the bottom rope. She placed the microphone on the commentators' table, and then began to climb the ramp. The noise was her accompaniment at that moment. Someone was supporting her. Someone was judging her. Someone has taken a liking to her. Someone pulled away from her. And, nevertheless, Astrid walked forward with a confident step. She didn't turn back, instead she just raised her right hand and pointed at herself with her thumb. That's how she disappeared behind the curtains. And even though this story had just begun, Astrid felt satisfied. It's not every day you get the opportunity to knock out the best woman in the federation. Huh.