The Martial Arts Prodigy

Chapter 18

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected." - Chinese Proverb

"Nice, now the real fun begins!" says Danny. Danny, Aaron and Johnny begin to trade attacks with each other, with a sharp intensity in their souls. As they throw their punches and kicks at each other, it leaves the audience in awe of how fast they are moving.

"Sweet baby Jesus! These three guys are blinding to catch!" Draca exclaims.

"Impressive, Aaron and Johnny have improved their skills as fighters, but I never expected for them to be this fast and smooth with their movements." Asia says.

"Indeed. Aaron however, has shown progress over these nine months while training with Ken Shu. Something about his style is different from the other two." Kenneth says, looking directly at Aaron's movements. When Johnny tries to kick Aaron in the side of his head, Aaron grabs his leg and he throws him into Danny, making them both crash to the mat.

"Come on you two! Let's fight!" Aaron says while pounding his fist into the ground. Johnny quickly rolls over towards Aaron and he stands in front of him.

"Was that the best you had? Come on, my girlfriend has better moves than you!" Johnny instigates. Aaron tries to string a combination of punches on Johnny, but he is countered and hit with a spinning shin kick in the ribcage. Aaron holds his ribcage, feeling slight pain go through it. Danny quickly grabs Johnny from behind and he traps him in a sleeper hold. As Johnny tries to desperately fight out, Aaron charges at the two fighters and he kicks Johnny in the nose, making Danny let go of his hold.

Johnny momentarily stands befuddled and Aaron begins to aggressively go on the attack, putting the pressure on Johnny. Upon going for a right cross to his jaw, Aaron has is arm grabbed by Johnny, who elbows him in the midsection of his abdomen and he uppercuts Aaron, knocking him down to the shock of many in the crowd. Johnny takes a collective breath, but he is suddenly attacked by a kick to the face from Danny. Johnny tries to attack him, but Danny dodges and blocks every punch and kick that Johnny throws at him. Danny swiftly hits Johnny with a jab and he follows it up with a three punch combo to his face, knocking Johnny down. As Danny begins to prematurely celebrate, Aaron knees him in the face, stunning him.

"Eat this!" Aaron says, charging his energy into his fist. Once all of his energy is charged, Aaron tries to punch Danny in the chest, but Danny counters it with a punch of his own, connecting his fist with Aaron's.

"What the hell?!" Aaron shouts, shocked that Danny countered and blocked his fist.

"You're not the only one who has control over chi hoss!" Danny says, flipping Aaron over on his back. Before Danny could finish the fight, Johnny hits Danny with a vicious Superman Punch, knocking several teeth out of his mouth. As Danny falls to the ground, he slips into unconsciousness.

"Good night mi' amigo!" Johnny says to him. Aaron gets up to his feet, shaking off the cobwebs in his head. He stands face to face with Johnny, who invites him to throw the first punch. When Aaron attempts a straight punch, Johnny dodges and he traps Aaron in an armbar. Aaron wrestles out of the hold and he gets on top of Johnny, into a dominant position. Aaron begins to rain down a bombardment of punches on Johnny, who covers himself up for protection. As Johnny is being hammered on by Aaron, he thinks back to his training with his mother and the words he was taught by her.

"Every opponent has a weakness, see it, exploit it, then strike like a cobra playing with it's prey!" Johnny abruptly grabs Aaron's fist, stopping his momentum. By rolling Aaron to the defensive position, Johnny begins to shower Aaron with sharp elbows to the face, before locking on an Armbar on Aaron's left arm. As Johnny wrenches on the arm, Aaron taps his hand on the mat, forcing Johnny to release the hold.

"All right Johnny!" Draca cheers, smiling at her boyfriend with the impressive win over both Aaron and Danny. Johnny goes over towards Aaron and he extends his hand out to him. Aaron smiles and Johnny helps him to his feet, showing great sportsmanship to his friend.

"Great match bro!" Johnny says.

"My man! You were amazing!" Aaron compliments. Danny walks out of the cage, smiling as he heads over towards Zoella.

"What are you smiling for, you just had your teeth knocked out." Zoella says.

"The plan is proceeding nicely, no need to worry seniority." Danny says while spitting blood from his mouth.

"That armbar was slicker than Road Runner escaping The Coyote! Johnny Orion is your winner, advancing to the next round!" as the crowd cheers Johnny, Draca passionately kisses him, making the others look on.

"Oh please, get a room! This is making me super uncomfortable!" Carly says.

"Carly, shut your damn mouth before I kick your teeth down your throat!" Laura tells her. The fight selector begins to shuffle once again, making the audience anxious for the next contest.

"Carly Williams!" as the announcer calls Carly's name, she stands up from her seat and she takes of her coat, exposing her fighting attire. Wearing a pink and gold glittered sports bra and white short shorts, she flaunts her physique while being immensely focused on the task at hand.

"I wonder who will fight little miss sunshine here?" Vanessa wonders, with annoyance in her voice.

"Laura Christmas!" Laura takes a deep breath and she puts on her black power gloves, preparing for the fight that she always wanted.

"Hey La-La, word of advice, Carly's left leg is weaker than her right, focus on that as you fight." Danyelle informs Laura.

"All right, good looking out Dani!" Laura says as she enters the cage. Moments later, Carly and Laura stare each other down, tension seeping from both women as they look into each others eyes.

"Well, well, well... I guess you finally have the opportunity to beat me senseless." Carly says.

"I'm going to say this as bluntly as I can, I think you are an arrogant b***h, who thinks she is better than everybody else. But, that doesn’t mean I don't respect you." Laura says.

"Interesting, well I guess I can respect you as well. You have been training for nine months, as have I. But I am here to be the best and you are in my way snowflake!" Carly arrogantly boasts.

"Before I slap the taste out of your mouth, I want to know why were you looking at Zoella all funny earlier?" Laura asks.

"That's only for me to know, so stay the f**k out my business!" Carly exclaims.

"If you won't tell me, the I will beat it out of you!" Laura says. Carly slaps Laura in the face, making the audience gasp in shock. When Carly tries to slap her again, Laura grabs her wrist and she head-butts her in the face, sending her down to the ground.

"Well, it's been a long time since I have seen my own blood. This hasn't happened to me since the darkest day of my life. On that day I lost something near and dear to my heart, which changed me forever." Carly says, capturing Laura's curiosity.

"My pain, my suffering... taste the torment that I endure!" Carly shouts, tackling Laura to the ground. In a focused rage, Carly begins to unleash a barrage of punches, drawing blood from Laura's mouth.

"I expected more from you, I expected the best from a prodigy of the fabled Panther Style. But you are nothing more than an easy target!" Upon hearing Carly's instigating insults, Laura spits out blood from her mouth and she rises to her feet.

"Pride goeth before a fall, allow me to teach you a lesson on that saying!" Laura says. Carly charges towards her, attempting a kick, but Laura counters it by sweeping her left leg. As Carly gets to her feet, Laura rains down heavy kicks towards her. Carly manages to block five of Laura's kicks, but she is hit with a low kick to her left leg. Laura quickly hits Carly in the jaw with a strong forearm, before taking her down with a German Suplex.

Laura keeps Carly grounded by attacking the back of her head, although Carly covers her head for the majority of the onslaught. Carly catches one of Laura's punches and she throws her overhead into the fence, however, to the surprise of the audience and the fighters, Laura lands on the cage in the pose of a Panther. Dodging a kick from Carly, Laura sits on top of Carly's shoulders and she throws her across the ring, using her immense leg strength.

"Finally, a challenge that I can have some fun with!" Carly springs up to her feet and she begins trading attacks with Laura in the center of the ring. As the two move with great speed and ferocity, the crowd greatly cheers both warriors on.

"It's amazing how you are still standing toe to toe with me, a normal fighter would have fallen by now!" Carly says while grabbing hold of Laura's arms.

"I'm far from normal honey, I am the hunter and you are the Panthers prey!" Laura says, kicking Carly away from her.

"You mentioned something about the darkest moment of your life? Care to help a sister out and elaborate?" Laura asks.

"Fine, if you must know. When I was little, my entire family was massacred by a woman, a woman with blonde hair and a muscular body. That woman is Zoella Raiden! I lost everyone that I loved, especially my older cousin. I was nine, when she decapitated her, in front of me!" Carly reveals.

"Oh my god, so that’s why you were acting like such a b***h! You were hiding your past from us, you didn't want us to see your pain." Laura says.

"Think what you want, but once I beat you, I will be one step close towards vengeance for my family! I will not lose to you!" Carly exclaims.

"I'm sorry Carly, but you won't be winning a damn thing!" as Carly charges at Laura, she tries to kick her in the ribcage, but Laura grabs her leg and she throws her into the caged fence.

"I wanted to beat you down, but now I pity you. Just stay down!" Laura tells Carly, who tries to attack her again, but Laura punches her in the gut and roundhouse kicks her in the jaw.

"I know you want to avenge your family, but you are going to have to go through me first!" Laura warns Carly.

"I plan to!" Carly suddenly kicks Laura in the right leg, making her collapse to one knee. Carly then begins to rapidly kick Laura in her midsection, before flipping in the air and blasting her with a kick to her jaw. As Laura slowly gets to her feet, Carly punches her twice in the face and she knocks Laura down with a Crescent kick that leaves the audience stunned. Struggling to get to het feet, Laura collapses back to one knee, feeling the effects of Carly's attack.

"I can't take much more of this..." Laura says, coughing up blood. Nearing unconsciousness, Laura sits down on the mat and she slowly clears her mind, strengthening her soul.

Carly tries to once again kick Laura in the face, but Laura blocks her foot and she performs a Capoeira moon kick, knocking Carly to the mat. Carly gets to her feet, dazed as a flower. While she tries to regain her composure, Laura runs towards her and she backflip kicks Carly in the jaw, sending her to the mat once again. Carly struggles to get to her feet, but Laura pins her down by putting her right hand on her chest. Carly tries to break free, but Laura grabs her left arm, pinning her down even more.

"Say it!" Laura shouts, but Carly continues to fight.

"SAY IT!!" Not willing to forfeit, Carly ferociously tries to fight out of Laura's grip. Laura brutally snaps Carly's arm, causing the crowd to wince and gasp. Slipping behind Carly, Laura places her in a Rear Naked Choke.

"SAY IT!!!!!" Laura exclaimed, while choking the air out of Carly. Carly feels her sight slipping away, limpness overtaking her body as she falls into a deep sleep.

"Laura! Let her go, it's over!" Danyelle says, snapping Laura back into reality. As the paramedics enter the ring to check on Carly, Laura looks at Carly with a horrified look on her face, wondering if she went to far.

"She's alive, but she is unconscious." a paramedic says. Moments later, Carly wakes up, and she refuses medical attention, managing to get up on her own power.

"Carly..." before Laura could speak, Carly raises her hand in victory, showing respect to Laura. Leaving the cage, she walks towards the elevator, ready to head back to her loft.

"Laura Christmas is the winner advancing to the next round!" the announcer says, while Laura walks of the cage. Without a second thought, Laura follows Carly after she has departed the stadium. Laura then catches Carly halfway towards her loft, hoping to clear the air with a once hated rival.

"You beat me fair and square, it's what any great fighter would ask for." Carly says.

"Why didn't you say that you concede? I could have killed you back there." Laura wonders.

"I would rather die, then sacrifice my need for revenge against the woman who killed my family." Carly answers, while holding her shoulder

"Your shoulder, it's..." Carly puts her hand up, silencing Laura. Moving towards a light post, Carly bashes her shoulder only once on the metal beam, popping her shoulder back into place.

"There good as new." Carly says, taking a deep breath.

"Okay, that is just painful!" Laura says while wincing at the sight of Carly's shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be back in the arena? You did advance to the next round." Carly asks.

"Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you first. I didn't know that you had baggage coming here." Laura says.

"Listen Laura, I'm not here to make friends with anyone. Ever since my family was massacred, I never wanted to let anyone else in, so with all due respect, just forget it." Carly says.

"All right, but know this, I know how you feel. You're not the only one that has lost a loved one or two." Laura says, walking back to the arena.

"Hey!" Carly shouts, making Laura turn around.

"If you fight Zoella, kick her ass for me." Carly says.

"You got it, Carly." as Laura prepares to walk towards the arena, she and Carly hear an explosion in the distance. Suddenly, an explosion hits them both, knocking them down and covering them in dust.