Disclaimer notes: I do not own any characters that fall into the DC trademark camp. I also do not own the original character Hecate/Nightshade, she is on loan to me by a talented fanfiction writer Calliope Foster.
When Hecate entered the dojo, she was first greeted with traditional Chinese orchestral music. Respectfully, she removed her sandals at the door and looked around for her contact.
"Mistress Lansing?" she called out. "It's me, Cate, I'm here for my lesson appointment."
Hecate, walked along the walls and admired the banners that hung from the walls of the dojo. She couldn't read what they said, but surmised that they might be there for some motivational reason. She did her best to examine the room as best she could. Hecate made note of the gentle stone waterfall to her left growing lush green plants. She then took notice of the gold statue of Buddha that sat atop the waterfall. To her right featured a weight bench complete with some machine that resembled a medieval torture device. Then, a chopping block stood there looking well used and maltreated. Perhaps it was a recipient of many a bad beating.
Along the left wall, Hecate spied a wooden bench. As she strolled toward it, she heard a voice. "I am here, young Hecate. Please set your things down and I will be with you shortly."
The voice sounded not anything like Hecate expected it to sound. The voice that belonged to a large silhouetted figure behind a paper wall had a thick European accent. She then dismissed the worried thoughts and disrobed to her athletic bra and shorts. She pulled out her purple Gi that was given to her by her friend Bruce Wayne from her bag and put it on. She then secured shin guards to her long and silky bare legs.
Hecate began to stretch and focus her mind. She was told to go to this dojo as a secret mission by her benefactor Bruce Wayne. The thought alone had excited her. No, it thrilled her. Hecate listened to the trickle of the waterfall and the gentle strings of the traditional music. It centered her enough to return to an undercover persona. The mission had to succeed, she told herself. Mr. Wayne was counting on her.
When she felt limber, Hecate charged herself to the large mat in the center of the room. Focusing herself on the center, she went through a routine of kicks, roundhouse punches, and crouches.
"It appears you are all ready to begin your training, young one," said the large woman with the European accent. Hecate finally got a chance to read her teacher. She subtly let her eyes examine the woman she knew as Elvira Lansing.
Elvira Lansing was a large Amazonian looking woman. She had a thick mane of raven black hair down to her broad shoulders. Muscles flexed beneath a crimson Gi that matched her pants. She also stepped heavily with soft slipper shoes. As Elvira approached the center of the ring to meet her pupil, she tied a black cloth belt around her waist.
Hecate looked deeply into Elvira's eyes and focused on them. Then she felt a sharp sting across her jaw. Elvira had caught her by surprise and swiftly delivered a backhand strike. "Lesson one," declared Elvira. "Always be on guard."
Hecate let that notion sink in. She would never get caught unprepared again. She was new at this hero thing and took the lesson legitimately.
"Come," said Elvira. "We will work first with the blocking dummy."
"Oh, I thought we were going to start with a little wax on-wax off approach," Hecate said mocking the teaching methods she saw in a movie. The teacher first grimaced looking confused only to frown in disaproval.
Hecate gave a strong glare to Elvira as she passed her. Her jaw still stung with the reminder of what she was supposed to be doing. When Elvira was again inches away, Hecate sized herself up to her teacher. She felt dwarfed in comparison. Elvira was built like a Mack truck compared to her. Just when Elvira thought her guard was down, she spun and again attacked Hecate with a judo chop. Only this time, Hecate's reflexes were steady and blocked Elvira's sudden advance.
"Ah, young one," Elvira sounded pleased. "You have quick hands"
"I don't understand, Mistress," said Hecate. "What am I to learn if you constantly attack me?"
"Judo is a martial art of surprise and balance," explained Elvira. "Defeating your adversary is with speed, strength, and most importantly your attentiveness."
"Yes, Mistress," said Hecate as she respectfully bowed to her teacher.
"Show me that kick again," requested Elvira.
Hecate took a jump and swung out her right leg towards her teacher. It did not please her teacher who only grabbed a hold of her leg, trapping it between her torso and left arm.
"There is no half way, young one," declared the stern teacher. She reached out with her free arm and shoved Hecate to the mat. Hecate only frowned and felt discouraged.
"Again," Elvira demanded.
Hecate returned to her feet, but again she was treated with the same result. Elvira in her large stature had caught the kick and shoved her down to the mat.
"Your balance, young one." began Elvira's instruction. "You must also control your weight. A single gust of wind could defeat you."
The lesson continued with Elvira using her strength and size to thwart any attack that Hecate provided. Each time, Hecate became more discouraged. Soon, she lost control and thought about using her witch powers to send her Mistress Elvira into oblivion.
Hecate felt it was time for an equalizer. While she was again lying on the mat, she mumbled a mysterious incantation. She felt a surge of strength for her own to use. She saw herself not as Hecate, but her own budding alter ego - Nightshade.
"One more round," said the young pupil. She had confidence again. Her voice did not sound like she was requesting more lesson, but this time she demanded one.
"What is this? You've bored me, young one. I have plans to fulfill. You lesson is over," stated Mistress Elvira.
"No! One more." said the feisty student.
Mistress Elvira Lansing sprinted at her student with a wide eyed glare. How dare she challenge her! She had shown no real threat, except this young student must be made to feel the full force of her might. Elvira used cat-like prowess to charge Nightshade, only she was ready for the assault.
Nightshade took a strong hold of Elvira's arms and used her own momentum against her. It was working. Getting thrown around like a rag doll, Nightshade understood the premise of the martial art. She spun the amazed teacher 180 degrees using her own weight to throw her onto her back. Nightshade landed on top of the dazed counterpart and grabbed a hold of her uniform.
Elvira's uniform had opened up wide and fell off her shoulders. The surprise of her life came when Nightshade spied the large tattoo above her teachers left breast. It was a ferocious looking cat's claw with the toes pointing upward.
Surprise befell Nightshade's face. She was warned by her benefactor Bruce Wayne to attend the dojo and report back what she had seen. She could not hide her detection from her large teacher who only became more angry.
"You wretched little witch!" Elvira yelled, thrusting herself off the ground and still in her students grip.
Even after Nightshade was able to catch Elvira by surprise, she was not equal to her cat like quickness. Nightshade suddenly found herself at her teacher's mercy. She was gasping for air and swinging her arms out wildly. The student was being choked by a massively bicep of an arm.
The air in Nightshades lungs was quickly escaping with the oxygen to her brain. Becoming weak in the knees, she fell to the mat. She thought to herself she mustn't lose consciousness. If she could only reach the bench where she put her clothing bag, she might be able to call her contact Oracle.
"You saw nothing, little one." commanded the angry Elvira. Still with her death grip around Nightshade's throat, Elvira leaned down all her own weight atop her victim squeezing her chest to preventing reception any new lifesaving air.
Nightshade's vision was fading to a blur. She spied the running waters of the man made waterfall. Her gleam caught the faded image of the Buddha statue using it to focus. Her ears listened to the flowing water. Her newfound focus boosted her strength to the bench with the bag of equipment.
Elvira redoubled her efforts and again took the life that was straining away from young nightshade. "Do you realize I can snap your neck with but a flex of my power, young one?"
Nightshade fumbled around with her eyes closed searching for the button that signaled Batman for an emergency. It was too late, though, as soon as she was able to palm the life saving calling device, she had passed out.
Young Nightshade awoke to her own self consciousness. She felt groggy and disoriented. To combat the effect, she had reverted to her previous identity, Hecate.
She felt a prodding and a familiar voice calling to her. Hecate opened her eyes again and searched around for the woman that almost had ended her life. The dojo seemed empty at first glance. The prompting voice called out to her again when Hecate looked in that direction.
She found a worried looking woman in a motorized wheelchair. She had red hair and black shirt.
"Hecate, it's Barbra. Are you okay?"
It looked as if it was going to take a while for Hecate to fully regain her faculties. She looked over towards her rescuer and was glad to see a friendly face.
"I was worried, Hecate. What happened?"
"The woman that Mr. Wayne sent me to spy on, she choked me. I couldn't breathe."
"But why would she do that?"
"I saw a mark on her. She had a tattoo. It looked like an animal claw. It was red. It was on her chest," explained Hecate.
Barbra Gordon was her savior for now. But the thought that if the situation had gotten worse, Ms. Gordon had felt terrible that she was unable to be effective enough. She was once a crime fighter, but retired when she was wounded by a bullet. It left her bound to a wheelchair, something that she did not wish on anyone.
"I brought the van to the front of the building. Why don't you get into it. I'll meet with you after I take some pictures for the report." said Barbra.
Hecate gathered her things and walked out of the dojo relieved that she was left alive. Even if her Mistress Elvira Lansing, if that be her true name, was not a legitimate teacher, Hecate used this as a learning experience. The encounter was something that she would never forget.
Lagging behind, Barbra pulled a microphone looking device from her motorized wheelchair. She spoke into it after making sure that Hecate was not in range. "Code B-1," said the woman. "This is Oracle. We have a positive identification. It's Red Claw. She's back!"
The End