The Countess's Challenge (for Malkavia)

[CaptainL]

The lights dimmed on the arena, alerting everyone in the stands to the fact that another segment of tonight's LAW show was about to begin. But when those same lights came up again on the entrance ramp...the sight was less than impressive. It wasn't a world-renowned champion or an icon of the company who was about to say a few words. It was a small, slimly-built, unassuming girl in a black gi who could've been mistaken for a lost cosplayer. But anyone who dared to make such a mistake might well have been making their last - for this was no mere bystander, this was Countess Dante, Grandmaster of the Black Dragon Fighting Society, and the Deadliest Woman Who Ever Lived - the Crown Princess of DEATH!

Spoiler

Isabella wasn't concerned with making a flashy entrance or playing to the fans. She kept up a surly look on her face as she trudged down the entrance ramp, her fists balled at her sides and her eyes narrowed firmly into a glare. The Countess wasn't here for fame, or fortune, or to appeal to anyone - no, she was here for one purpose and one purpose only; to demonstrate the rightful supremacy of her school of the fighting arts, and the lethal style it practiced!

But...for all her best attempts, that wasn't working out so well for her. The chuckles and jeers she was met with on her way past the stands were proof enough of her reputation, and it only made her grit her teeth tighter. No one took her seriously - that was one fact she was sorely aware of. But it was one she was going to change. She was out to prove she was no joke. Tonight, she would show the world how much of a joke she really was!

Climbing into the ring, the girl stared down the ring announcer for a few seconds before she was handed a microphone - she sighed softly at the thought that her presence hadn't been enough to get them to submit right away. But after giving the microphone a few taps and sucking in a deep breath, the Countess stood a little taller, looking out into the crowds.

"Standing before you now is none other than the Deadliest Woman Alive! Known and rightfully feared around the world, the great, the amazing Countess Isabella Caramelita Dante! Master of the fighting arts, and the most lethal weapon known to man!! Hey, STOP LAUGHING-!" she added, shooting a piercing glare at one fan at ringside who couldn't stifle a giggle. Once she had a moment of silence, the Countess again let out a huff, rubbing her heel against the mat to vent her frustrations as she stood back up straight.

"Hmph! The abject FOOLISHNESS I have just witnessed only proves my point all the more! I would like to remind everyone that the title of Deadliest Woman Alive is not something I take lightly, and neither should any of you! The incredible techniques I possess the knowledge of could KILL or MAIM any opponent in mere SECONDS, using little more than the pressure of a single finger-tip! I could kill any one of you right now, and the only reason my opponents have been able to get off as easily as they have has been because the laws of this society frown upon murder. And yet...you all treat me like a joke! LAW treats me like a joke! I've lost a few matches, sure, but that was MERE COINCIDENCE! You didn't see me at my TRUE, TERRIFYING POTENTIAL!" Already, a few of the fans had started laughing at how outlandish her claims were - which of course only incensed Dante even more, her face going red as her teeth locked in a grimace. "STOP LAUGHING, I SAID! ARE ANY OF YOU LISTENING!?"

Taking in a long groan, Isabella grit her teeth and continued. "The wanton disrespect I see here," she explained, "is all I need to tell me how much of a joke I am to you. And that's why I intend to set the matter straight - to show you what I'm really capable of!" She stomped a foot against the canvas. "This is an open invitation to anyone backstage at this very arena, right now! I have a statement to make. I must show the world how powerful the arts of the Black Dragon Fighting Society are! And if I may have a volunteer, I'll go ahead and prove my point - if anyone's brave enough, that is!"

[Malkavia]

LAW was top notch when it came to concessions. Whenever Sayori was in the audience for a LAW event, she always got to know the guys peddling popcorn and candy and soda pop real well. Today, she was munching away at a bottomless tub of buttery popcorn, feeling mostly pretty content watching the show. Only mostly though. She kind of wished her friends were with her, and a teeny tiny deep down piece of Sayori niggled at her conscience: She should've been at training with them.

But those kinds of worries sailed away on a spinning, pink winged elephant, dancing into the lights when she took a big sip of her XL-sized coke. It was cherry coke, though she was struggling to taste the cherry. She was thinking about what it did taste like (maybe cough syrup? But really really sugary cough syrup, mixed with diet coca cola) when the lights dimmed to announce...the DEADLIEST WOMAN ALIVE!!

Sayori squinted at the brunette in the black gi. So...was this a comedy act? The audience started chuckling pretty much right away, even before she described herself with those incredibly over-the-top monikers. Sayori leaned forward, smacking her lips as she tore and chewed on a red strip of Twizzler candy. If this was an intentionally comedic villain, then Sayori had to admire the bit. You know, she reflected, LAW really needs more comedy. Everyone she'd met took themselves sooooo seriously. Which. Was OK! People should feel comfortable putting themselves out there. But. Still, sometimes you wanted someone who could play the clown.

As Countess Dante went on, Sayori leaned in with rapt attention. When she described her dastardly techniques, Sayori gave an exaggerated GASP of horror, picking up her jaw from her lap while her eyes bugged out of a face stricken white with horror...all while stifling a gigantic grin. (This girl was great!) When she asked for volunteers, Sayori wanted nothing in the world more than to help this girl put on her show.

She shot out of her seat, hand in the air. "Oh, oh! Pick me! I'll help!"

Spoiler

It was kind of nerve wracking clambering into the ring. Matches always made her head spin a bit—the lights hurt her eyes, and all those eyes on her made her feel bashful. But...she smiled at Countess Dante, stepping right up to her with a sunny smile. Just gotta remember, this isn't a match!

"Aaaaalright, Countess Isabella Caramela Dante! Let's see those, um. DEADLY TECHNIQUES OF THE FIVE THOUSAND PALMS. I'm ready! I think. Hehe."

[CaptainL]

When Isabella made her boasts, it wasn't without scorn and mockery from the fans. The sight of a short, slim girl who seemed like she would blow over in a stiff breeze making such bold claims about being a deadly weapon of lethal assassination and death garnered plenty of chuckles, and the contrast between the Countess's appearance and her supposed credentials was only compounded than her less than impressive record in the ring. For the most part, Isabella could grit her teeth and bear through that - after all, she reminded herself, she was in this ring to prove all the hecklers and naysayers dead wrong. But when she saw one girl in the crowd look at her with fear and awe, gasping at the exploits she proclaimed...that, in Isabella's mind, was enough to vindicate everything. A grin came to her face, and she stood a little taller, pounding a fist against her chest with a surge of confidence. The thought of Sayori just playing along with her presumed act never crossed her mind, considering she was fully convinced of her own sincerity. As far as Isabella was concerned, Sayori knew. She respected her. And if that was the case...she still had a chance. There were still some people who recognized a true mistress of the DEADLY FIGHTING ARTS when they saw one! And by the end of this day, there would be far more!

"...YOU THERE!" Sayori barely even needed to get Dante's attention. Almost as soon as she finished her lecture, she spun back around to point in her direction. "It appears someone here is willing to face the Countess! Bold, indeed! But...the Black Dragon Fighting Society has no place for cowards!"

She looked Sayori up and down, the stony look never falling from her face as she settled into a stance - feet apart, knees slightly bent, fist pressed into her palm. "What's your name, girl? I'm glad that someone here can afford a master of the Dim Mak the respect they are owed." She only grinned a little wider to see how much Sayori was buying into her grandstanding; it just proved all the more that she was going somewhere. "Before we begin," she continued, "you must be aware that, in stepping into the ring with me, you are gambling with your LIFE! The DEADLY FIGHTING SECRETS known only to myself and my colleagues in the Black Dragon Fighting Society, passed down through the generations among an ELITE CIRCLE of the most TERRIFYING fighters mankind has ever known - the likes of Frank Dux, Shinzo Tanaka, Ashida Kim, and my own legendary ancestor who bore my name before me - are NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH! To face a master of DIM MAK, the most advanced form of kung fu, is an act tantamount to SUICIDE!! There is a very real chance, girl, that you will leave this arena in an AMBULANCE - or WORSE! To all those bearing witness to what I am about to do, know that attempting to replicate these HORRIFIC FEATS at home may well lead to injury, death, or incarceration! Unless, that is, you wish to train under such a master..."

A few fans had already begun giggling in the midst of her bombastic claims. But right as it seemed that Isabella was about to open her mouth for another barrage of nonsense...she suddenly spun around to deliver a blow straight to the middle of Sayori's throat, using the bottom of her closed fist. "...HAMMER FIST STRIKE!!"

Spoiler

If her blow landed, Isabella would puff out her chest, proceeding to dust herself off. "...Let that be your FIRST LESSON of dealing with the great Countess Dante - never let down your guard!"

[Malkavia]

When asked her name, Sayori popped to a straight-back stand and saluted her ringleader! "My name is Sayori, MA'AM, and I'm glad to be here, MA'AM!"

She was super sure to keep her face grim and mean. As HUGE as this Dante character was playing all this to be, she'd better not let any of the gravity slip! She nodded, seriously, eyes furrowed with careful concentration. Though, Dante did make it a little hard. She was so good at her performance, that it actually started to creep under Sayori's skin juuuust a little. Even though she knew it was mostly an act, she couldn't help but shudder a little when the host got down to the gory details. Oh gosh, an ambulance huh?

Sayori's gaze drifted to a far-off spot in the crowd just over Dante's shoulder. She had heard stories about LAW talent needing a doctor's attention. Those kinds of stories always put a kind of lump in her tummy, like a big stone.

"BLECK—!!"

Just as her thoughts were getting their queasiest, Sayori felt her throat's front slam against her throat's back and then jiggle like a bit of jello. At least, that's what it felt like! Pretty soon her mind finished jogging to catch up with what had just happened. The buzz of movement registered as Dante moving—chopping her throat! An explosion of pain ran up and down her esophagus, and the worst part, the scariest part, was she had trouble breathing.

Oh no oh no oh no.

Was this it? Would she need a hospital already 'cause her windpipe had split?

"Nnng...nnnggyOw-o-Ooooooooooooowwie!"

Oh thank goodness. She was clutching her throat, she realized, while kneeling on the mat. OK. Ok. You're fine. She took a deep breath and stood shakily back up.

"Heh...hehe. You got me!" She forced a smile. "...Nice hit!"

[CaptainL]

Even now, Isabella could feel the reveberations going through her fist from where it had slammed straight into Sayori's throat - a reminder of just how hard she'd hit her. She could only hope that that would serve as a stern warning that she was no one to be trifled with. Taking in a deep breath, the Countess took one step back from her foe, bringing up her fist and holding it against the other palm as she cracked her knuckles. She opened her mouth, about to continue on her tirade...only to find that Sayori was already getting her wits about her.

Dante stopped there. She stared at Sayori a little longer, blinking once, then twice. Then, her brow furrowed in frustration, and a half-muffled grumble escaped her lips. You got me. Really? She was still treating this so flippantly? Like a game? This was no game - any time someone met face to face with Countess Dante, it was a matter of life and death! And if Sayori wasn't treating it as one...well, then, she would just need to make her! She cleared her throat - there was more to be done.

"It would appear that an even GREATER demonstration of the TERRIFYING potential of the Countess's arsenal is in order!" she roared. "It is only now that Sayori shall confront among the most dangerous techniques in the storied history of martial arts - the HEART PUNCH!" Grabbing Sayori's arm, she would twist it over her other shoulder to expose the cartilage of her rib cage, lining up her shot. "No less than TWO MEN - Alberto Torres and Ray Gunkel - have DIED in the squared circle after being hit by this very move - a move that can knock those unfortunate to take it into CARDIAC ARREST, and the mere sight of it being performed has been enough to spark riots! And that number PALES to the number of casualties claimed by the Heart Punch in the underground kumite fighting circuit - something that my family REIGNS UNDEFEATED IN! Tonight, Sayori shall witness that power herself!!"

Isabella's description had caused a few fans to boo her, even if the majority remained skeptical as to if she really had it in her. But that wouldn't stop the Countess. She wound up a fist and delivered a punch straight to Sayori's chest, aiming to hit her right over the heart!

Spoiler

[Malkavia]

"Uh huh, huh..." Sayori nodded along, doing her very best to seem interested! It was interesting—she just found it hard to focus on all the martial arts history lesson stuff while her throat was still throbbing.

...It must not have been enough, though, because COUNTESS DANTE grabbed her arm and turned her over.

"Ow ow ow, I'm sorry! I'm sorry Countess—I-I'll listen better—OW..."

But Dante kept talking. About the...Heart punch...which sounded ominous. Sayori's lips curled into a crazy, nervous kind of smile—the kind that felt like it was stretching up to her ears and the curling down into a down-to-the-tummy kind of frown inside her.

Then COUNTESS DANTE started talking about people who'd died.

"D-D-DIED? OH REALLY? Oh that's so neat, uh, Countess I think I wanna go now—"

Sayori shall witness that power herself!!

"NO NO NO THAT'S OK NO AAAAA—oof!"

The fist pumped into Sayori's chest. It was like a ripple went through her whole body. Then, when that ripple got to her fingers and toes and the crown of her head, it bounced on back to the fist, tearing her insides apart as she wordlessly whimpered.

She collapsed on the mat. She couldn't breathe. It was like her lungs were clay and someone had squeezed the two sticky edges together, molding them into something solid.

"Oh my god my heart...it's not beating!"

Tears started to roll down her cheeks in an unbroken stream. Her face screwed up, brow wrinkled, chin trembling, cheeks bunched at the dimpled. "MY HEARTS NOT BEEEEEATING!!" she wailed.

Then a few seconds passed. She sniffled. And blinked.

"Oh wait yeah it is."

She took a deeeeep breath. And swallowed.

"That...really hurt though. Hey Countess, I think I'm ready to go back to my seat please..."

[CaptainL]

Isabella's display had won her a few boos. If she really did mean what she was saying, she knew a technique with lethal potential, and she showed absolutely no hesitations about using it against an innocent bystander, who by all accounts had no way of fighting back! Yes, by this point, the brunette had a reputation for being more of a charlatan than anything else - but if she really meant what she was saying, Sayori was in grave danger! And yet, the Countess showed no hesitation whatsoever when she whipped her arm around in a hammer blow, right into the dead center of Sayori's chest! When she dropped to the ground motionless, a few gasps could be heard - as far as the fans were concerned, they might have just witnessed a murder. The boos grew even louder. And yet, Isabella merely dusted off the front of her gi, taking a step back and folding her arms over her chest with a huff.

"THAT," she declared, "is the FULL POTENTIAL of what Dim Mak can do! A skilled master of Dim Mak can kill a bull with a SINGLE PUNCH - now, just IMAGINE what that power can do to an ordinary human being!" When Sayori began to lament that her heart wasn't beating, a smug grin came to Isabella's face. "What you are experiencing now," she declared, "is the interruption of your heart's normal rhythms due to an blockage in the flow of chi through your bodily chakras! Much as the arts of acupuncture can unlock the flow of energy through your body's gates, so too can the LETHAL POISON HAND TECHNIQUES disrupt it - and many have been unfortunate enough to witness the TERRIFYING POTENTIAL!"

Caught up in her monologue, the Countess didn't seem to consider that if Sayori's heart truly wasn't beating, she wouldn't be able to keep talking. But right as she was about to open her mouth for another speech, Sayori realized her heart was, in fact, working after all - and in an instant, everything Isabella intended to boast of died in her throat, like a deflated balloon. A few giggles could be heard - the comedic timing seemed so perfect, some had begun to wonder if Isabella and Sayori were both in on the act - but when Isabella heard their mockery, her teeth only locked in a furious grimace. She wouldn't dare tolerate such slander! Luckily, she still had another trick up her sleeve - and if the fans, and Sayori, wouldn't believe her, maybe this would be enough to convince any naysayers!

"Oh, no, we aren't done!" Isabella cut in, grabbing Sayori by her shirt to lift her to her feet. "The great COUNTESS DANTE still wishes to demonstrate one more technique - the CROWN JEWEL of the Black Dragon Fighting Society's arsenal of DESTRUCTION! And that technique is none other than the one, the only...the KATA DANTE, the DANCE OF DEATH!!"

Cracking her knuckles, Dante took a step back from Sayori, beginning to fall into a stance. "Of any martial arts defense form, the Kata Dante is surely the most deadly - it is a fierce, calculated assault that draws on SEVERAL of the fearsome Poison Hand weapons to attack the face, throat, groin, shoulder, elbow, neck, and spine in SPLIT SECONDS, one after the other, combining them in a flurry of blows that, at its fullest potential, can incapacitate, cripple, and maim an opponent in FIVE SECONDS - OR LESS! And that's if they're LUCKY!! It is without a doubt the most efficient and effective unarmed assassination technique known to man - it is no less than the fastest way to kill a man with your BARE FISTS! To master the Dance of Death is a rite of passage in the Black Dragon Fighting Society - and as its grandmaster, I have perfected it to its most terrifying potential! Potential that I shall now demonstrate to YOU, FIRST HAND!"

Isabella began to move in closer, her hand darting toward Sayori's arm to pull the girl closer and into her grasp. If there was still anyone who doubted what she could do, she was convinced they would be silenced by the end of this...

[KamenWrestler]

"This is an open invitation to anyone backstage at this very arena, right now! I have a statement to make. I must show the world how powerful the arts of the Black Dragon Fighting Society are! And if I may have a volunteer, I'll go ahead and prove my point - if anyone's brave enough, that is!"

Those words boomed and echoed through the TV screens littered around backstage as dozens of staff and other wrestlers would look up and watch with confusion. The moment some of them saw who it was, they rolled their eyes and went back to doing their own thing. The few that did choose to watch were just looking to kill time and just laugh at whatever clown show was about to commence. Of course this show would only happen if anyone else backstage was dumb enough to make a fool of themselves. But to everyone's surprise, someone did volunteer to get in the ring with the so called Deadliest Woman Alive. Some would snicker but one person was watching the screen intently.

The girl who volunteered to go up was this cute and innocent looking fella with pink hair and pretty blue eyes. She watched as Isabella would demonstrate some of her "deadliest" techniques on Sayori, wincing a bit as the pink haired girl was clearly in pain from the first hit. But the second strike, the punch to her heart...the person clenched her fist when she watched Sayori start crying. A group of people walked up behind her, looking up at the screen and back at her before motioning her to go. As Sayori wanted to get out of the ring, not wanting to be part of this demonstration anymore, staff near the entrance to the arena heard something rolling up and turned to look away from the arena and were completely shocked at what they saw. They tried to walk up and stop what was about to happen, but a large man would block their way.

" To master the Dance of Death is a rite of passage in the Black Dragon Fighting Society - and as its grandmaster, I have perfected it to its most terrifying potential! Potential that I shall now demonstrate to YOU, FIRST HAND!"

Show Time!

As Isabella spoke those words, the lights in the arena turned off and the giant screen above backstage would light up and began to play a...video? Happy pop music blared and filled the arena, as it would sound like thousands of little creatures were cheering for something coming. Carnival music blared while a crank could be heard through the music-

<<"GUMMY! EAT GUMMY! EAT GUMMY! EAT GUMMY!">>

And then a loud voice would echo in the arena-

"HENSHIN!"

<<"POPPING GUMMY! JUICY!">>

The lights turned back on in the stadium as a motorcycle would shoot out from backstage, driving down the ramp and heading right towards the ring! This motorcycle would skid to a stop, and the person riding it would get off displaying impressive legwork, LEAP up into the air, landing on the top rope before jumping off the rope themselves and land right between Sayori and Isabella! The person landed low and crouched, her head hung low before she tilted her head up to glare right at Isabella.

"Hey. She said she wanted go back to her seat. So if you wanna pick on someone, then pick on me!"

POPPING GUMMY!

The girl that stepped in to save Sayori was a weirdly dressed girl wearing a purple hoodie with a black bodysuit underneath. She had a belt around her waist and she stared Isabella down like she was ready to take her down. She tilted her head back to look at Sayori and gave her a big reassuring smile.

"You don't have to be scared anymore! I'm here!"