The Prima Donna's Diary - Chapter 11: The Tiger's Cage (vs Bengal)

[Misfit_Alien]

Ami's world was spinning, blurring, and fading in and out from a black void to a hazy picture in the Prima Donna's vision. Her world had been turned inside out, and she couldn't tell which way was up, left, right, or down. Her world was devastated, decimated, and dominated by the Tiger...everything shattering in just a brief instance, like a natural disaster coming out of nowhere and leaving nothing in its wake. The brunette wheezed, gasping and whining, hapless as she remained folded over in a precarious position, with Bengal in the middle of processing what she had just heard and felt coming from the Prima Donna. As Ami's vision began to return to normal, she was greeted with the sultry smirk of a confident Bengal, one who had pried into her mind and discovered quite the secret...

Ami was partially a masochist-...that submissive nature of hers was now out in the opponent, a slim peek within her heart revealed one of her dirty secrets, a tightly kept fact about her not meant to see the light of day beyond the pages of her private diary...but it was too late, and now Bengal was leering at her, leaning in close to twist her heart into a shriveled mess by holding this over her. Ami was her captive...and there was nothing that she could do except squirm and blush as Bengal spoke RIGHT into her ear, even giving it a nibble that caused Ami to gasp with shock before shutting her mouth tight, a clear sign to the Tiger that she had managed to stop herself from squeaking out another moan.

Ami shuddered, immediately trying to find some feeling in her body again as she shook and writhed like a worm, or rather-...like a mouse trapped under the Tiger's paw. "N-no-...No...NO...Y-you didn't...I didn't...D-Don't-...LEMME GO-..." She whined, this time her voice was filled with shame and embarrassment, on top of a large dose of shock as the realization settled in that much further. Bengal's face told her EVERYTHING that she needed to know about the humiliating act she had just committed, and what's worse-...Bengal was directly mocking her for it while simultaneously protecting her. But...WHY!? She didn't seem like the type to care, she seemed like the type to scream it from the mountaintops...so why was she-...

And then it clicked...

She wanted to savor this feeling of being the ONLY one to know about this 'kink' Ami had. This secret of hers...it'd be shared between her and the Tiger alone, for no one could know about this forbidden knowledge, but the idea of holding its secrecy over Ami's head must've been like a euphoric treat for the Bengal to indulge in. And given that look in her eyes, Ami felt certain about her assumption. "I-...I don't have any secrets, I d-don't...I'm not a ma-MMMMMPPHHHHH!!!" Ami spoke, suddenly silenced mid-sentence by Bengal's soft, modest breasts. She was smothered beneath those lovely, gentle mounds, her face being ground into the canvas below as the Indian woman's tanned boobs buried her foe deeper and deeper into their warm embrace, draining the struggling Ami of her stamina while short circuiting her mental faculties. The moment was too much for her...it was far too erotic, far too ENJOYABLE, and far too humiliating...even as people left in shock and disgust, all that mattered was the simple action of Bengal DOING it.

Ami's face burned a bright red, she kicked and screamed, but her movements were restricted and her moans were muffled...inadvertently, Ami only made things worse for herself as all her shaking and screaming simply resulted in her face and lips brushing against Bengal's tender skin...making it seem like Ami was nuzzling and kissing the Tiger's bust, as if she was physically admitting to Bengal's provocations and submitting to her, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Regardless, the Prima Donna's lips would blanket Bengal's chest with kiss after kiss, each one more unintentional than the last, but the frantic brunette couldn't help but continue to squirm and panic relentlessly, slowly running out of air...She tried to breathe, but Bengal's chest made it an almost impossible task.

Any attempt at breathing was met with the scent of the Indian woman's sweat-coated figure, her scent invading Ami's nostrils as she was forced to inhale the Tiger's fragrance. It was...intoxicating...it was nice...it felt...good...it made her heart race faster and faster, and she couldn't stop herself. Her hips bucked a little, causing her pelvis to grind against Bengal's for just a moment before she began resisting again. She shook and shook, but nothing could save her...at least, not like this. Yet as she tried to fight back, she found herself falling more and more into the depths of those conflicting feelings of hers...she did enjoy those bits...she enjoyed the slam...she enjoyed the woman's scent...she enjoyed Bengal...She liked being up close against her; she liked the intoxicating feeling of desire she was breathing in, that feeling of arrogant confidence, that unruly attitude, and that unyielding dominance that was on display. Another low moan escaped her lips, but this time it was properly muffled...A part of Ami wanted to just submit and give in to this...but she couldn't...she-...she WOULDN'T...

So, in a last-ditch effort to save herself, Ami tried to pull her legs and shift the weight of her and her opponent JUST enough to try and free her face from that sweaty, smothery prison, trying to find any gap big enough to possibly catch a bit of fresh air, giving her a chance to think and come up with a strategy to fight through this...however, with Bengal keeping her trapped in this Grapevine position, her chest always millimeters away from her face no matter which direction she turned her head, it seemed like a fruitless struggle!!!

That was until-

DING!!!

The bell...THE BELL-...Ami's eyes fluttered between being opened and closed, her body nearly running out of air as she desperately gasped away to keep herself conscious, hoping Bengal got off her, or hoping that the referee would pull her off...something...ANYTHING...she was this close, if she could just make it to the break!

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal pumped steadily downward, feeling her hips lock together with Ami's as she sank deeper into the smother. Her breasts tingled with a pleasant vibration, as the smaller woman moaned something she couldn't quite make out. "I'm not a masochist", maybe? The Tiger grinned at that. It was too pathetic; even with everything right out in the open, the Prima Donna was still making denials. But her empty declarations were just a waste of more valuable air. Her struggles were already growing weaker - not that they'd been especially strong to begin with, Bengal thought arrogantly. She supposed that made sense. If Ami actually did enjoy being punished, it would make fighting to escape that much harder.

The truth is, Bengal should have been able to sympathize more with her opponent. She had experienced something similar in a previous fight, when she was crushed by Fuse Kiyoko's Sisterly Hold. Thank god that had been a hotel room match, with no crowd present to witness her humiliation. Knowing about it herself was bad enough.

But the Tiger was past the point of feeling sympathy, for anyone. The memory of her past defeat just gave her more motivation to wring the life out of Ami. She arched her spine over the Prima Donna, like a cat stretching on a window sill. The other woman was barely twitching now. It wouldn't be long until -

Suddenly, Bengal's thoughts were interrupted by a sharp ringing sound. The next instant, the referee had grabbed her by the shoulders and was pulling her off Ami, revealing the Prima Donna's sweat-streaked face and messy hair. The Tiger squinted down at her opponent, wondering what had happened. Ami was in bad shape, but clearly still conscious, and the official wouldn't have known that without checking first anyway. Had she tapped, then? Bengal hadn't felt her hand move.

And then, she remembered. The round breaks...the damn round breaks! Bengal was accustomed to pro wrestling, where she could keep her submissions locked in as long as possible. Indeed, she often enjoyed drawing the process out. It made her opponent suffer longer, and taunted the crowd with a glimmer of false hope. But there was no such luxury here in the octagon, the Tiger thought, dabbing at her chest with a towel as she rested on her corner stool. She didn't just have to finish Ami - she had to finish her efficiently.

[Misfit_Alien]

The bell rang and the referee had FINALLY managed to do something right by pulling by pulling Bengal off her opponent, allowing the winded and flustered Prima Donna to draw a bit of fresh air back into her lungs, air that was untainted by the...intoxicating...scent of Bengal's body. Ami's eyes fluttered for a moment...why did she think that? No...Why was she still thinking that? She squirmed and shuffled, slowly picking herself up off the ground as she made her way back to her feet, gripping the cage wall nearby for support, struggling on her last legs...mere moments away from having passed out or reaching a state where the referee likely would have called off the fight. But she was still here, and the fight was still ongoing...

Meaning that she still had a chance to turn this around.

From one round to now, it was a complete reversal, and as Ami slumped into her corner, she felt a tad defeated. She was worried, and feelings of anxiety were starting to mount in her heart as Bengal had serious dirt on her, information that she seemed keen on exploiting for her benefit and entertainment. Ami really had gotten lucky with the bell ringing, and she could see it on Bengal's face. Had that not happened, the Tiger would've merely smothered her into oblivion, letting Ami drown in the warm, sweaty depths of her bust, those pillows mounds being her final resting place as she'd be subject to an utterly humiliating defeat...a thought that she couldn't shake from her mind as Bengal's words and actions continued to circulate through her head on loop.

After dropping down onto her stool with exhaustion blanketing her whole body, and various memories and fantasies clouding her mind, keeping her from focusing on the goal ahead, Ami was left to slowly pick up the pieces and figure out SOMETHING that she could do to pull herself together. Yet her mind was drawing blanks...no-...her mind was filled with brief glances and images of the Indian woman's body from different angles, each one far more sensual than the last, along with lewd and domineering commentary ringing in her mind in Bengal's voice. It was clear that something was bothering her, it was so readable on her face...She imagined that Bengal was already aware and was mocking her internally for it, on top of thinking of new ways as to how she could berate and bully the young brunette for her 'weakness' in the following round.

As much as she tried to fight every fiber of her being, what had happened was now reality...the door had been cracked open, and a sliver of Ami's dark and deep desires were slipping out, overtaking her instincts bit by bit...she had to try and finish this fight before she got too wrapped up in her own mind...

...but perhaps, it was already too late...regardless, all she could do was try...try and hope that no matter what happens tonight, she'd be able to at least walk out of the cage with her head held somewhat high. However, it'll be quite the challenge with an opponent like Bengal seeing to it that an outcome like that doesn't happen. Without much else to do, Ami stood up, gloves raised, a look of uneasiness on her face, but her eyes were still narrowed and focused on Bengal, for a few reasons...each one contradicting another as she met the woman's gaze.

DING!!! - ROUND 3

Showtime...

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal was still peeved by the way the break had interrupted her fun, but she resolved to keep her newfound momentum going into the next round. Seeing the look of unease on Ami's face as the bell rang improved the Tiger's mood considerably. The Prima Donna looked like a woman at odds with herself, unable to decide if she was attracted to or repulsed by her older opponent.

She could take advantage of that indecision. Bengal raised her bare foot, flexing her toes within the striped shin guard, as she gave Ami a derisive wink. "See anything you like?" the Tiger sneered, waggling the foot back and forth, like bait to lure a hungry fish. "Why don't you come kiss my feet, kitten? You're gonna lose anyway. Might as well get off a little, while you're at it..."

The referee gave her a look that was equal parts horrified and confused, but Bengal didn't even notice. She was too busy trying to gauge what Ami's response would be. Things here could go a few different ways. The Prima Donna might feel intimidated, and keep her distance this round. Or the taunt might enrage her, and make her more aggressive than before. Either way, she was planning to switch feet as Ami got closer, and blast a roundhouse kick at the side of the young fighter's head.

A thought suddenly crossed the Tiger's mind. What if Ami listened to her, and actually started to kiss her feet? Bengal began to flush a deeper shade of red, even though she'd just had a break. But this change in color had nothing to do with exertion. She suddenly couldn't stop thinking about the Prima Donna doing...doing what she had said. She tried to clear her head of the altogether inappropriate images flashing through it, and re-focus on the fight. Ironically, Bengal's attempt to distract Ami had left the Tiger herself distracted as well!

[Misfit_Alien]

Ami was struggling to keep herself together, her mind perpetually clouded by an ever-increasing, ever-spanning torrent of salacious thoughts and desires, all stemming from those damned blue eyes, that warm red skin, and those lush white locks of hair...it tormented her, holding a fantasy over her head like a treat just out of reach, only achievable by submitting to only the utmost humiliating fate possible. To make matters worse, Ami was seriously contemplating these things in the back of her head. All this time at LAW had slowly chipped away at her inhibitions. Now, just being in the ring with someone so extravagant and attractive was enough to set her heart aflutter.


She wasn't building a tolerance, she was developing a dependency...


And now, with Bengal standing across the way, keys to her heart's darkest desires in the palm of her gloved hands, she decided to have some fun with the Prima Donna. She abused this newfound chain she had control over, one wrapped around Ami's very being, teasing her with the idea that she was distracted by her lovely legs...and more specifically, her feet. She caught Ami's frantic glance once and that was enough for the Tiger to know that she hit the nail on the head, inviting Ami forward to submit to her desires, kiss her feet, welcoming the idea as a sort of consolation prize for the brunette given how certain she seemed about the rookie's defeat.

Ami couldn't tell what was worse...the fact that Bengal would so brazenly taunt her with this, or the fact that it was somewhat WORKING on her. She felt a lump in her throat and a fire in her heart. She felt horrifically conflicted, utterly despising how she felt...it should NOT be this difficult to say no or deny these claims, but Ami knew that she'd be lying through her teeth. She balled her fists, tightening them and feeling her nails begin to dig into her palms. Her face was flush with an even deeper shade of red now, somehow growing brighter and denser in color, clearly overwhelmed.

Without a moment of hesitation, Ami ran forward, just attempting to swing at the Indian woman, trying to batter her or overpower her with a volley of strikes...but her reckless pursuit, much like Bengal's folly in the first round, left her defenseless and blind to the Tiger's counter attack. A move that would have otherwise been so easy to scout given Ami's experience and background in competitive kickboxing was now the silver bullet Bengal needed to really deconstruct her foe. The Indian woman's foot crashes against the side of Ami's face, knocking her upside the cheek. Between the padding and the eerily soft feeling of Bengal's feet, Ami was knocked away in a near-drunken stupor, nearly collapsing as a result as she staggered back, rocked and in a heavy daze, but still standing...if it wasn't for Bengal's subsequent pause due to her own words and thoughts, this would've been the end for the Prima Donna, who crashed back-first into the cage a little over halfway across the octagon, gloves up and panting but clearly not focused, her face reddening from the attack...but also from embarassment...and...enjoyment...?

No one could hear it, but Ami was cursing herself under her breath, hating how she was feeling. She was on top just one round ago and now she was spiraling...what was going on?!

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Luckily for Bengal, Ami didn't actually try to kiss her feet. She wasn't sure that she could have kept her self-control if that had happened. Instead, the Prima Donna blundered forward, falling for her bait hook, line, and sinker - just the way the Tiger knew she would. After all, Bengal had always thought of herself as irresistibly attractive. Finally, her opponents were starting to recognize this quality as well! About time, she thought, as her kick struck Ami on the cheek.

The younger woman reeled back, crashing into the cage behind her. Bengal could hear her swearing quietly, muttering something she couldn't quite make out. Was she angry at her opponent, or herself? Maybe a bit of both? Whatever it was, the Tiger couldn't pass up another opportunity to tear the Prima Donna down. "What's that, Ami? I can't hear you," she taunted, holding one hand to her ear. "Don't be shy...spit it out!" She punctuated her words by spitting disdainfully onto the floor of the octagon, while the crowd groaned with disgust.

Watching Ami as she leaned against the cage, Bengal started to appreciate just how different this steel structure was, compared to the ropes of a more traditional ring. Those were elastic, springy, a potential tool that wrestlers could use to cushion a bad impact, or to launch themselves at their opponents. This cage was much harder and less forgiving - and thanks to its chain-link pattern, even easier to hold onto.

That gave her an idea. Before Ami could move back to the center of the ring, Bengal dashed over to her. The Tiger straddled her smaller opponent, pushing her up against the cage with her hips, as if the two of them were about to start slow-dancing. She grabbed the Prima Donna's wrists, grape-vined her arms out, and hooked her own fingers through the chain link. The other woman was trapped now, spread-eagle with her back against the wall. Bengal leaned back, throwing her silky hair over her shoulders, then thrust forward again. The steel cage rattled and creaked as Ami's delicate frame was crushed against it, sandwiched between the barrier and Bengal's lithe body. She repeated the motion again, then again, moving with a steady, deliberate rhythm. Every time she squashed herself into Ami, she could feel the other woman's heartbeat, pounding through the thin fabric of her top.

Despite her general unpopularity, Bengal did have a few fans in the audience that night. Those individuals were currently screaming themselves hoarse, yelling at the Tiger to get her head out of the clouds, and finish the fight while she had the chance. But Bengal couldn't hear them over the chorus of boos - and even if she had, she wouldn't have listened. She'd already forgotten her earlier promise to be more careful, more restrained. She'd become "lost in the sauce" yet again, eager to win in a unique way that would earn her more of the attention she craved. She could already see tomorrow's headlines: MMA FIGHTER KNOCKS OUT OPPONENT BY CRUSHING HER AGAINST CAGE IN STUNNING DEBUT! She didn't stop to consider how her current posture, arms raised over her head, had left the rest of her body completely exposed...

[Misfit_Alien]

Before Ami knew it, she was caught up in Bengal's grasp, shoved against the cage with Bengal straddling over her, dominantly pressing her figure into the brunette's and shocking Ami with such an openly sensual position. Intentional or not, Bengal managed to get beneath the Prima Donna's skin, all while crushing her sweet, delicate figure against the cage with repeated thrusts, over and over, grinding her body into Ami's, sending stimulating jolts of electricity through the woman with every bit of friction she created, while at the same time pushing Ami's back further into the cage, wearing her down as the cold steel jutted into her soft body. Meanwhile, the Prima Donna was desperately trying to keep her head above water as the Tiger's motions were turning her on, riling her up in front of all these people as she carelessly thrust against her over and over.

"Gh-!! G-get off!!! STOP IT!!!" Ami roared, trying hard to fight back against this...this-...WHATEVER this was. She couldn't even wrap her head around it. She was too busy and absorbed in the moment to think, let alone question what was happening. Bengal had been fighting in an unorthodox manner this whole time, especially when it came to grappling...but this was a stretch too far. Internally, Ami was cursing LAW for being so lenient with their rules...but that dark seed that was sown in the back of the Prima Donna's mind was growing more salient, fueled by the oncoming wave of lust stemming from this body-on-body contact that Bengal was perpetuating. Did she even realize what this looked like to spectators and cameras? Ami thought she was some wannabe fighter, not some raunchy, domineering harlot...although, given the irritatingly conflicting thoughts spiraling in her mind, maybe it was a bit hypocritical to call Bengal out as if she were the only 'harlot' here...at least Ami was trying not fall victim to her thoughts...well, trying and failing as her squirms only heated her up further, causing her to sweat and pant as she blushed harder.

"C-cut it out...D-do you even know what you're doing to me? To US?" She muttered, the friction driving her up the wall as she bit her lip. She gritted her teeth and attempted to lift her leg, slamming it into the Indian woman's side to pummel those previously battered ribs of hers in an effort to FORCE Bengal to back away. If she managed to get free, she'd lift her foot and plant it into the woman's belly, her sole striking dead center with Bengal's abdomen as she aimed to knock her away and give herself some much-needed space...

Ami REALLY needed to breathe after THAT...her mind was...unsettled, to say the least, and she sank against the cage wall, her body red hot as her cheeks burned brightly with a pinkish-red hue. Her fists tightened and her guard was raised, but her face told a different story...one of exhaustion, both physical and mental. She was worn out not from the damage she had suffered, but from the sheer aggressiveness of what Bengal was doing to her. All this provocation and stimulation was wearing Ami down like a poison, throwing her off her game...and she couldn't tell if it was intentional or not. That part alone was annoying enough. For now, she held back and tried to catch her breath. With the round halfway over, her eyes remained locked on Bengal's figure...her gaze tracing it subtly. There was no fighting it anymore, Ami knew that much...try as she might, she couldn't deny the growing sense of attraction swelling within her heart and mind. Despite being so irritating and brazenly infuriating, Bengal had this unconventional charm and confidence to her...Ami HATED that she was feeling like this. It made her blood boil, but that feeling of disdain only made her heart race faster.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal smirked at her opponent's high-pitched squeals. Her excitement made her thrust faster, gripping onto the chain link so hard that her knuckles began to grow numb. "Get off? Naaah," she drawled, shaking her head emphatically. Beads of sweat flew from her nose and chin, as her head whipped from side to side. "You've already got that covered, amirite? HeheheHEYYOOWW!"

The Tiger's lusty laugh turned into a surprised shout, as Ami's leg lashed up and caught her in the side. While Bengal had squandered her energy attacking the Prima Donna's whole body at once, her wiser opponent was targeting the same rib she'd bruised before, making the second hit twice as effective. Bengal staggered away, vowing to retaliate three times as hard, to tear the damn cage down, if she had to - when her heel suddenly slipped on the small patch of spit she'd left behind earlier. Already unbalanced from the kick, the slippery surface was too much for the Tiger. Her feet flew up in front of her, like a skier hitting a patch of ice, before she crashed onto her rear. It seemed as if the octagon itself was getting its revenge for the disrespect Bengal had shown throughout the fight.

The fans certainly got a kick out of the karma, and a resounding chant of "YOU ____ED UP! YOU ____ED UP!" began. Lying on her back, Bengal had a different view of affairs. The way she saw it, the universe had ____ed her with an extremely unlikely set of circumstances. What were the odds that she would step upon that exact spot, with the whole canvas around her? She might as well be on the lookout for cartoon banana peels. And yet...that wasn't really what was bothering her. More than her frustration over the fall, she simply missed the sensation of Ami's body pressed against hers.

The Prima Donna's panicked words echoed in her mind. "Do you even know what you're doing?" On a certain level, Bengal did know why she behaved like this. But the Tiger had long since become an expert at cutting off the parts of herself that didn't quite fit, and locking them away. She'd compartmentalized herself, like the private rooms of the family mansion she hadn't been allowed to step inside, for fear she'd ruin the valuable antique rugs.

It was easier to just pretend it was all some mind game she was playing. When she reveled in dominating an attractive opponent, when she made sure to go for the most humiliating hold, with the most possible skin-to-skin contact? That was just her making sure they'd never challenge her again. And if she happened to relive those moments later, alone in her hotel room, over and over...well, every fighter in LAW took pride in their achievements, right? But after years of repression, the facade was starting to wear thin. And now, Ami was threatening to tear it down entirely.

Such was the jumble of confused thoughts that rushed through Bengal's mind as she tumbled to the mat. She rapidly drew her arms and legs into a guard, expecting Ami to rush her, to take advantage of her vulnerable position. When nothing came, she raised her head to see the Prima Donna still slumped against the cage wall, panting, her cheeks flushed and red as two cherry tomatoes. Her beautiful, smooth cheeks... No! She couldn't think about that now, not when she had a chance like this. Bengal lurched to her feet, moving with jerky, uncoordinated motions, like a rabid beast caught out in daylight. She'd forgotten about the round timer, or the bruises on her ribs. Her only thought was getting back on top of Ami. Because this was a fight - nothing more, she reminded herself. And when I fight, I fight to win!

[Misfit_Alien]

The Indian woman was knocked back, staggered by Ami's successive attacks to her aching abdomen. The Prima Donna Darling could see the pain welling up in Bengal's eyes...struggling to keep that cocky expression plastered across her face as every breath she took likely added to the pain she felt. To make matters worse for the tiger-themed combatant, that taunting spit from earlier served to trip her up, making her look like an absolute tool in front of a wide audience. Meanwhile, Ami was just staring at her...dumbfoundedly...an expression that read, 'Are you serious?', was clearly the message. As the crowd chanted and berated Bengal, Ami just held back. She didn't want to move forward. She didn't want to go to Bengal. She just wanted to stay away from the woman and recover.

Yet, something was drawing her toward the woman, well-...not something. It was a feeling she KNEW and UNDERSTOOD, despite how much she didn't want to admit it. Still, it was far better than facing her down there when she wasn't ready. One wrong move, one wrong thought-...and Ami could wind up back in this scenario, or worse.

So, when Bengal stood back up on shaky feet, Ami moved forward, kicking things off with a few more jabs as they were nearing the end of the round. She targeted Bengal's face, trying to break through her guard. It was a risky play, but she had to push past those thoughts and focus on taking Bengal down...and that started by connecting some hits on her...soft, beautiful face. Dammit. If Bengal were quick enough, one jab would be far more loose than the rest. It was a jab that seemed hesitant...distracted...not quite up to par. A quick dodge or a parry would leave Ami's face wide open...and with a weight and height advantage over her lightweight foe, Bengal could make quick work and turn her five-second blunder into a forgettable memory by dismantling the Prima Donna here and now...but that was only if she didn't get distracted like Ami did.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Before Bengal could make it to Ami, the Prima Donna rose to her feet and moved forward as well. The Tiger’s plans to mount her opponent had been thwarted before they even began. For a moment, she considered backing off, waiting out the bell, and trying again in the next round. But then, she noticed the way Ami seemed to hesitate, pulling her opening jab, as if Bengal’s face was a piece of delicate glass that she wanted to polish without breaking.

What was the reason behind her reluctance? Bengal had a feeling what it might be, but she didn’t have time to wonder about that right now. All she knew was that she wasn’t hindered by the same uncertainty as her opponent. On the contrary, she felt compelled to strike Ami down, right here and now. The sooner she could put the Prima Donna away, the sooner she could get back to pretending that this was just a fight, and nothing more. If she had to wait out another round break, if she was forced to spend another full minute gazing longingly across the octagon into Ami’s caramel-coffee eyes…she honestly didn’t know if she’d be able to take it.

So Bengal took the chance she’d been offered, ducking low to dodge the Prima Donna’s indecisive jab. Then she rose up again, like a rogue wave cresting as it reached the shore. The tassels on her right leg streamed and flapped behind her, like a high-flying flag in a strong breeze, as the Tiger launched herself into a jumping knee strike! The Indian woman’s bare kneecap was aimed directly at Ami’s jaw, threatening a potential knockout blow! On the other hand, if her reckless attack missed, it would leave Bengal winded going into the next round, and liable to be knocked out herself.