[CW: Threats of rape]
Author's Note: There are a couple of chapters here that are shorter or more plot driven, so I made this one three chapters instead of two. Hope you all still enjoy.
***
After a few minutes, Quinn called out the next match. "Clara and Dan, step up!"
Clara stood tall and proud at 5'10 and weighed just under 150 pounds. Her long, glossy, strawberry-blonde hair hung down her back. She wore it in a high ponytail instead of letting it hang loose. A sharp smirk and calculating emerald green eyes adorned her angular face. Clara's body was lean and firm; she was in the prime of her life and knew how to use her body to her advantage.
Clara was a woman of few words, her hardened exterior masking a deep and unwavering strength. She was determined to prove that she was as capable as any of the Kappa Omega men.
She wore a tight black bodysuit that outlined her body's contours and highlighted her toned midsection and arms. Black boots completed the ensemble, giving her a powerful and formidable aura. She was ready for battle.
Dan was a tall, athletic figure standing at 6 feet, 2 inches and weighing in at 198 pounds. His strong jawline and piercing blue eyes made him look intimidating, but at the same time, he had an approachable charisma. He was the guy you wanted to have a beer with but knew better than to anger. He had a competitive spirit that pushed him to be the best at whatever he was doing, and he never backed down from a challenge.
Dan wore a pair of red shorts with white stripes and a pair of white wrestling shoes, with a black tank top. He had a focused look in his eye and a determined stance as he waited for the whistle. He was eager to show Clara and the audience that he was the better wrestler and sex fighter.
Cassandra counseled Clara in her corner. "Dan is a wrestler, but hasn't studied any other martial arts. Stay off the floor with him until you have him weakened, and you'll be fine. You practiced how to attack wrestlers this past week. Just remember our practice." Clara nodded, focused on her opponent.
Quinn blew the whistle. "Fight!"
Clara walked out with Dan to face off against him in the ring, dropping into a low stance, arms chambered at her sides. She looked at Dan with a steely look, and let out a sharp battle shout. Dan looked at her in confusion. "What the hell is this Bruce Lee bullshit?" he said, laughing at her. Her expression didn't change. She simply waited.
Dan laughed again, "Alright, I'm here for a fucking fight. Let's go!"
He charged towards her with his arms and legs outstretched, his body arched forward, head lowered to scoop her legs and take her to the mat. Her response was swift and decisive. In one fluid motion, she twisted her hips and drove her knee up into his head with all the might of her powerful legs.
The sound of her knee colliding with his head was a thunderous crack that reverberated off the walls. Blood spurted from his nose in an arc as he dropped like a stone to the ground. His body lay unmoving, the sickening thud reverberating through the room. She unleashed her lightning fast reflexes and moved in for another attack, but quickly realized it was unnecessary -- he was already knocked out cold. An unnatural quiet descended upon the scene as she stepped back into a defensive stance, her breathing the only noise in the now still room.
Quinn stepped forward and checked on Dan, who did not wake immediately, and motioned for Clara to go to her corner. After making sure that he was still breathing and his pulse was ok, he called Steve and Kayla over to ringside.
"What is it?" Steve asked
"I'm stopping this fight," said Quinn calmly, but with a clear tone of authority in his voice. "Dan needs to see the doctor right away. I'm afraid he might have a concussion; that hit was brutal. Also, Kayla, I'm disqualifying Clara from the competition."
"What?!" Kayla cried out in surprise.
Quinn looked at Kayla "Look... the rule is no closed punches to the head, but there's also the rule about no intentional serious injuries. It's clear that the knee to the head was what she was aiming at against a wrestler, and that's a dangerous move. There are many other ways a Karate expert could have handled the situation with less chance of injury." Kayla grimaced, but nodded her understanding.
"What about Dan, then?" Steve asked. "If Clara is disqualified, then he technically won, but he's out of the competition."
Quinn nodded. "Kayla, I'm going to give you two choices. Either you can drop someone else from your team, or you can allow Steve to select one of his team to be reinstated when all the first round matches are complete."
"Can I talk it over with my team?"
"Sure." He went back to the center of the ring. "Dan wins this match by forfeit due to a rules violation. We'll take a ten-minute break for Kayla to discuss with her team and to get Dan medical attention."
Clara clenched her fists in anger and shock. Kayla saw this and quickly went over to her. "It's ok Clara," Kayla said, trying to calm her down. "I'll explain in a minute. You did great, you were so awesome."
Cassandra put her forehead to Clara's in a gesture of affection. "I know you're frustrated right now, but you did great." She reached down and grabbed Clara's hand, still clenched into a fist. "You were the real winner. Let's go talk it over with the team."
Clara closed her eyes and unclenched her fist. "Thanks, Cassandra."
***
Kayla finished explaining Quinn's ruling. "Clara was disqualified because Quinn decided the knee was an intentional attempt to cause injury." She gritted her teeth. "I don't like it, but we chose Quinn as a fair referee, so we will abide by his judgment, alright?"
Kayla wrapped her arm around Clara's shoulders and said reassuringly, "It's okay. Cassandra is right... you clearly won that fight. Everyone will remember you knocking Dan out in the first ten seconds." With a nod of agreement, the rest of the Gammas murmured their agreement. "You're the best, Clara," one said. Another exclaimed, "You're awesome!" A third added, "We've got this!"
"We have another choice to make," Kayla explained. "Since Dan technically won, but he can't continue due to the injury Clara inflicted upon him, we have to make up for it. We can either drop someone from our team, or we can allow them to pick someone to be reinstated after the first ten matches. Absolutely no judgment here... is there anyone that's uncomfortable, or who would rather not fight?"
All the Gamma Epsilon sisters looked at Kayla with a steely resolve.
"Yeah, I thought not. I love all of you. I'll let Quinn know."
After a few more minutes, Quinn crawled back up into the ring, and announced, "Olivia, Dylan, you're up!"