Chapter 13: First Match

The two struggled to knock the other down for what seemed like forever. Lisa had grabbed him around his waist and was keeping her body stiff and low. While he was also holding on to her waist from above her, trying not to get pushed backwards and fall from her attack. They each tried to sweep the other over by throwing their momentum to one side quickly and knock them to the floor. Yet they were eventually matched in strength in their positions.

"Well… this is a… surprise." Lisa said breathing heavily. "Can I ask… how you're this… strong?"

"Not going to… tell you." The bald man grunted back before taking a small step back to keep his balance. Then he suddenly switched tactics. Lifting hard he lifted Lisa by her middle up into the air over his head and chucked her sideways at the bar!

Lisa's body twisted rapidly, as she flew through the air and crashed onto the top of the bar. The impact knocked drinks and cups in every direction. She rolled twice on the bar before immediately springing up, totally unfazed, to slide to a quick stop on one knee. She hopped off the bar neatly and patted off her beer splattered clothes.

"Impressive throw. Let me at least have your name. I can't just call you baldly." Lisa said while tossing her hair back.

"Vance." The bald man replied taking a boxing stance. He now knew her strength and was prepared to take this fight a bit more seriously.

"Well then, Vance, let's have a good fight." Lisa smiled confidently taking an Ap Kubi stance, a basic front stance in Taekwondo. She too would be taking the fight more seriously.

"I might be getting rusty with these moves." Lisa thought to herself watching Vance carefully. "This is a good chance to practice."

Vance took a step this right with his arms raised to box. In turn, Lisa kept her pose but rotated keeping him in front of her. Seeing no openings to attack her, Vance charged her regardless. Closing the distance quickly, Vance took a left jab at her, but Lisa took a small step back avoiding the attack. Then she countered. Everything that happened next was so fast, that it appeared to be a blur to those watching around them.

Lisa used her step back to fuel her stances attack power and with an open palm, slipped past Vance's arm, to slam right into his chest. There was an audible cracking noise. His body was struck so forcefully that his chest muscles rippled, like a rock hitting the surface of a lake. He was sent flying back into the crowd behind him, sending chairs, tables, and people tumbling down.

Breathing heavily, Vance struggled to sit up from angst the pile of bar furniture and people. The fight wasn't over yet. Without warning the huge, tall guy suddenly lunged at Lisa from her blind spot. He grabbed Lisa’s forearm with a hand the size of a dinner plate and hoisted her up like a child holding a doll. He lifted her up high enough to dangle well above the floor so that they were now looking at each other at eye level.

"My name is Gaston." The tall black-haired man spoke in a deep slow voice. His hair parted briefly exposing a very Neanderthal like face, with a big brow and strong starring brown eyes.

Lisa tilted her head to one side to flash a cheerful smile. "Hello Gaston."

Lisa then kneed him hard in the jaw, forcing him to drop her and stagger back. Her attack didn't faze him for long, for as soon as she landed and stood back up, he had already recovered. In a fit of unsealed anger, Gaston picked up two chairs nearby and used them to attack her.

Gaston first swung at her head, forcing her to duck low. Then he chopped down at her with the other chair in his hand as she went into this vulnerable position. Lisa quickly jumped backwards to roll across the old wooden floor once before springing upright in a kneeling position. In her wake, the chair struck the ground and shattered like glass, sending splinters and chunks of wood flying dangerously about. Gaston quickly repeated this attack with the other chair, but this time Lisa didn't jump away. Rather, she moved closer towards him.

The second chair blew up as it hit the floor just behind Lisa's head. Then as soon as it did, Lisa grabbed Gaston’s outstretched arm under his shoulder and by the collar of his shirt and she twisted her hips quickly while lifting him upwards. A look of surprise lit up Gaston's face, as his huge bulk was suddenly lifted over this slender woman's shoulder and was sent flipping over her. He landed on his back so heavily that the room shook with the impact.

Gaston let out a gasp trying to catch his breath while trying to figure out what just happened. Lisa quickly spun around to stand over Gaston and punched him hard in the face knocking him out. By now Vance had recovered and was on his feet. In a vengeful rage he attacked her with a flurry of punches. Lisa could only raise her arms up quickly to defend her face from his onslaught.

Vance soon forced her down onto one knee as she defended herself. Thinking she was being beaten, Vance powered up for a heavy side blow. That's when unexpectedly Lisa countered. She kicked out while spinning on her knee knocking out his foot from under him. Vance tumbled down landing on his butt and Lisa jumped up and outwards to attack him with a punch of her own. Yet her attack was cut short when Gaston suddenly let out a deafening roar from behind.

Gaston had regained his consciousness sooner than expected and jumped up turning towards Lisa. When Lisa took a glance at him, Vance used the opportunity to get up as well. Lisa was now pinched in between the two hulking men.

The crowd was cheering loudly throughout the edges of the room, egging them on. Meanwhile, John and Richard were struggling to see what was happening inside. They shoved aside several people until they got to the front of the crowd to get a better view. From this point on they couldn't believe their eyes. Lisa looked like a tiger battling two oxen.

Standing in between the two men, Lisa was watching each carefully with quick glances. She knew this was a bad place to be in, but she still had some tricks up her sleeve. The two men suddenly tried attacking her at the same time. Vance swung fast and wide at her, while Gaston reached out to grab her. In a blur of motion, Lisa jumped high over the men's attacks to nearly hit the ceiling! Then, like from some action movie, she kicked both men squarely in the face while performing a split!

The impact of her boots smashing their faces stunned them, and they both staggered back. Gaston's outstretched arm was closest when Lisa landed, and she grabbed it and spun throwing him at Vance. The two collided and fell to the floor in a tangled pile. Lisa then jumped outward at Gaston with both feet and planted them on his head. This time he was immediately knocked out for good as his head took of a chunk of wood from the bar. Finally, she turned towards Vance and slugged him hard in the face also knocking him out before he had the chance to block.

The fight was over!

"The Queen wins!" Someone yelled and others began cheering her nickname.

"Queen! Queen! Queen!"

Lisa had done it! Not only had she won but allegedly gained a reputation as a Match competitor. Now she would be able to have the chance to meet the Mad Dog boss. Or so she thought that was how it was going to play out. Plans just never work out how you'd want them too.

Turning to the other two men that were with Vance and Gaston, Lisa headed for them. The two handlers were clearly shocked to see that their fighters had lost. They, however, quickly recovered as she approached them.

"Now, let's talk." Lisa sighed heavily. She had taken little damage and couldn't wait to get on with what was to follow. "I have to ask you first, how soon can you set me up with to talk with the Mad Dog boss?"

The first man that spoke was a short, pudgy with a nice purple and gold jacket, and his chubby cheeks wobbled as he spoke. "I can't help you with that, I'm afraid. I am only a merchant from out of town. I was just here to set up some trade deals."

"Really? Well hold on for a moment. We might be able to do some business because I'm also in the merchant profession." Lisa said interested in what he might be trading. She then looked at the other man. "How about you?"

"W-well, I can't directly set up a meeting with the Boss." The second man said a bit timidly. He was just slightly shorter than she though far thinner. His nervous brown eyes darted around like he was afraid to be seen talking to her. "I can get you into another Match with one of his lieutenants though. Jackson Williams, you heard of him, right?"

"Yeah, I know of him." Lisa lied. She had to act like she knew him to help smooth over things.

"Cool, cool. I can set up a way for you two to meet back here. But it'll be a few days." The thin guy said nervously looking at her.

"Why not now? Or today?" Lisa asked taking an impatient step towards him.

"I can't just force him to show up. He'd kill me!" The guy replied holding up his hands defensively. "Best I can do is two days. Just come back here and I'll be in this same spot, I promise! My name is Jerry by the way."

"Well then, Jerry, I hope for your sake you do." Lisa as a tone of intimidation danced in her voice.

Jerry nodded vigorously before slipping by her to bolt through the crowd and out the door. Along the way he pushed in between John and Richard that were coming over to Lisa. They didn't say anything to her. They were absolutely speechless.

Lisa turned back to the merchant with a reassuring smile. "So please tell me, what do you trade? I too am also a merchant interested in opening a trade channel here. Perhaps we can do some business? You can just call me Queen for now."

"Well, this is unexpected. Sure, we can talk." The chubby guy said gesturing to a table that wasn't smashed up from the fight. The two sat down facing each other.

"My name is Frank Sellers. I deal in metal and construction materials."