A Touch of Red

By evolution-500

Genres: Horror/Friendship/Romance

Feedback: Always welcome

WARNING: This story contains violence, coarse language, mature themes and disturbing imagery. Reader discretion is advised.

Disclaimer: KILLER INSTINCT is a property belonging to Rare and Microsoft while RESIDENT EVIL is a property belonging to Capcom. I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter Fourteen: Challenges

Claire could not understand how everything could have gone so horribly wrong.

The morning had started off well enough - the sky had been nice and sunny, the weather pleasant, and even more, she felt a surge of positivity that she hadn't felt in a while.

She wasn't even angry with Billy anymore.

Well, maybe a teensy bit annoyed, but still, not a huge loss.

The talk with Piers last night had really helped Claire gain perspective. So what if she didn't have a boyfriend, so what if she was lonely - it wasn't the end of the world!

She couldn't believe how childish she had seemed; for Piers to comfort her the way he had, Claire was incredibly grateful for his kindness.

Which made the events that unfurled the next morning all the more tragic - had she known that this morning would be Piers' last day at the tournament, she would not have been such a baby.

If anything, she felt awful about what had happened.

To have such a thing happen to such a nice guy...

It all began the moment Claire had stepped into the waiting area to Doctor Gupte's office. While the fighters patiently waited their turn for their routine medical check-overs and inoculations, Baron Von Sabrewulf had paged Piers over the speaker, much to her and Billy's surprise.

"Why would the Baron call Piers?" she wondered.

The former Marine shrugged. "Beats me." He tilted his head at his friend. "What do you think, buddy? Any thoughts?"

Piers shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine," he replied as a pair of guards approached.

"Piers Nivans?"

"That would be me."

"Come with us, please."

"Am I in trouble?"

"The Baron wishes to speak with you in private. We were told that it's in relation to your family."

Piers reared his head back, his brow wrinkling. "My family?"

"We don't know all the details, but we're gonna need you to come with us, sir."

With those ominous words, Claire had watched as the guards escorted Piers away, leaving her alone with Billy, her confusion and concern growing with each passing moment.

Roughly ten or fifteen minutes, perhaps longer, Piers finally returned down the basement stairs.

Or rather, his body had returned.

Exchanging confused looks with Billy, the girl couldn't help notice the abrupt change in Piers' demeanor as he appeared.

He had seemed distracted by something, so preoccupied with whatever was troubling him that for a moment it almost seemed as if he wasn't even registering either her nor Billy.

"Piers?" she called.

Hearing his name, he lamely looked up at her, the look on his face making Claire freeze on the spot. Piers' eyes, once filled with that playful, energetic, and youthful spark, had lost its shine, replaced with something dim.

'What could have happened?' Claire wondered.

She worriedly watched Piers as he withdrew from the guards, his movement sluggish. When he returned back to her and Billy, Claire immediately noticed that Piers' eyes were watery, the man looking incredibly...not so much deflated, but shattered. Deeply broken.

"Piers? Piers, what's wrong?" she asked with growing concern, approaching him.

The soldier stared hard at the floor, looking like a dam ready to burst.

He slowly worked his mouth, sniffling slight.

"I...I need to withdraw from the tournament," he said steadily, his words slow and deliberate, sounding as if he were trying to hold - no, force back a heavy sob.

Billy exchanged looks with Claire, then looked back at his friend, raising an eyebrow at the latter's unusual behavior. "You okay, buddy? What happened?"

Claire noticed the tightening of Piers' jaw.

"...My..." He swallowed, "...My parents have reached out to the Baron. It's...It's about my brother."

"Your brother?" Claire repeated.

"Yeah."

"Has he recovered?"

Piers slowly shook his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"...N-No," he said slowly, slightly slumping. "M-My parents...um...my parents had...Jesus..."

"Yes?"

He licked his lips. "They had to take him off life support. So..."

As Piers wordlessly trailed off, Claire felt her heart break, her eyes widening as what he said started to register with her brain.

"Oh, Piers!" She gasped. "I'm so sorry!"

Claire watched as the soldier started to wipe his eyes and nose. "Thanks." He then turned to face Billy, shaking his head sadly, "Look, I-I'm really sorry, man, but...but I have to go. I have to-"

Billy sighed, clapping his friend on the shoulder, giving him an assuring squeeze, "Hey, it's okay, Piers. Really, it's okay. I understand." He eyed him carefully. "Is there anything I can do?"

Piers despondently shook his head, causing Billy to frown.

"Sorry, stupid question." The former Marine's eyes softened, "Take care of yourself, Piers. Both you, and your family. They're gonna need all the help that they can get."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know," Piers replied, his voice incredibly quiet, lacking strength.

Billy cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable as he awkwardly placed both hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Listen, uh, Piers...for what's it worth...I'm...I'm sorry about what's happened. Pete...Pete was a really cool dude."

Piers wiped the corner of his eye. "Yeah, he was." His lip quivered, his voice wavering, "And-And I'm gonna miss him!"

Claire watched in shock as Piers broke down in front of everyone, prompting Billy to quickly step forward and pull his friend into a tight, affectionate, and brotherly hug, the girl watching Piers as he cried loudly into Billy's shoulder.

The waiting area had echoed with hysterical, wailing, tear-filled sobs, the sound reminding the girl of an animal, so full of grief and sorrow as Piers vocally expressed his anguish over the loss.

It was a sound that Claire was certain would forever haunt her as long as she lived - so full of pain and sadness, so utterly agonizing to listen to, not just because of its intensely high volume, but also because this was coming from a person who no more than a few hours ago had been comforting her.

Claire wanted to do something, to say something, but she knew that nothing in the world would be able to help the poor man.

All the girl could do was give him and space and watch with overwhelming sorrow and sympathy as Billy tried to comfort his friend as best as he could.

The crying was so loud that it had prompted Doctor Gupte to step out from her office. "What's going on out here?!" She demanded. "Is everything okay out here?!"

"Negative, Doc." Billy shook his head. "He's just lost a family member - his brother has passed away."

Claire watched the old woman gave a look of understanding, nodding silently.

"I see." With that, she stepped back into her office, leaving Claire feeling somewhat flabbergasted.

"It's okay, Piers. It's alright. It's okay, man. It's okay. I got you."

Wiping his eyes, Piers looked aside in embarrassment.

"You alright? Are you gonna be okay?"

Piers nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, man."

Billy waved dismissively. "Hey, no problem. Tell your mom and pop that I said hi, okay?"

Piers nodded again. "I will."

"Aw, how sweet!" Claire scowled as she heard T.J.'s voice nearby, causing her to frown. "And what's this? Don't tell me - a "Brokeback Mountain" moment, a confession of love, right? 'Don't ask, don't tell?'" He then laughed at his own joke.

Claire turned her eyes over to the boxer, growling in warning, "T.J..."

"What?!" T.J. said indignantly. "I'm just foolin'! What's with all the long faces?"

Before Claire was able to tell T.J. to back off, Piers pulled away from Billy's hug, the soldier wiping his nose.

"You really are a piece of shit, Garret," Piers remarked, causing the boxer to tense up.

"What did you say?!" The latter retorted.

"You heard me," Piers challenged, meeting T.J.'s glare with one of his own. "For your information, asshole, I've just been notified that my brother is dead. " As the words echoed, Claire watched as the anger slipped from T.J.'s features, the boxer looking stunned at the revelation. "You know, the one whose face you broke? The one who you put on life support?"

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Piers regarded T.J. with loathing, the latter looking uncertain how to respond.

"You probably don't even remember him, do you?" She heard Piers remark coldly. "I doubt that you probably even care. I have to go back home to my family, where my mom and dad are crying their eyes out, in order to help them make funeral arrangements for the son that you've killed!"

Taking a step toward T.J., Claire watched as Piers stopped just right in front of him, his eyes full of hate, his hands tightening into shaking fists.

"...I want nothing more than to beat the absolute shit out of you, fucker!" Piers roughly spoke, his voice sounding as if he were doing everything that he could to restrain the full blast of his anger. "I want to kill you right where you stand. I want nothing more than to beat you to death...right here, right now."

Claire watched as the two men stood their ground, waiting with dread for the coming fight. Moments later, the fire slowly left Piers' eyes, though it didn't diminish entirely.

"...But," he spoke, his voice losing its edge, "...as much as I want to...it won't bring my brother back. You are scum, T.J. Total. Fucking. Scum! You're not worth going to jail over."

A tear fell from Piers' eye, "I hope you win, T.J. Honest to God, I hope you fucking win. That way, I can SUE YOUR ASS OFF FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE GOT, YOU FUCKING SELFISH, MISERABLE PIECE OF SHIT!" As he shouted the last part of his sentence, he grabbed T.J.'s lapels, pulling him close to his face, his spittle flying.

Claire watched as the guards intervened, pulling the two struggling men away from one another.

Panting, Piers pulled his arms free from a guard's grip, wiping his eyes as he glared hard at T.J.

"I hope you burn in hell for this, T.J." Piers said in a hushed voice. "I hope. You. Burn!"

With that, Piers brushed roughly past T.J., following the guards. Pausing in his step, he glanced over his shoulder at Claire, his visage softening.

"Take care of yourself, Claire." He waved. "You too, Billy."

Claire smiled sadly, offering a small wave of her own. "You as well, Piers."

Billy gave a thumbs up, prompting a small smile from the soldier before he eventually turned away, leaving the tournament and the castle for good.

Nearby, T.J. stood motionless, his expression unreadable yet troubled, his eyes hidden behind his black sunglasses as he contemplatively stared off in the distance.


Once Claire had received her inoculation, she exited the castle, her mind trouble as she started to make her way toward the church.

"Why so glum, little mouse?" A feminine voice teasingly asked, the voice close enough to elicit a startled yelp from the girl as she whipped around.

Turning to her right, Claire spotted the speaker, scowling at the sight of the woman in green as she casually leaned against the side of a building with one arm outstretched, her legs crossed.

"God, you scared me! Do you make it a habit of sneaking up on people or something?" Claire growled out, unimpressed with the woman's demeanor.

Letting out a light laugh, the woman gave a sly smile, her eyes shining with mischief. "You make it sound as if it were a bad thing."

"Um...ooooookay?" Claire replied with a slight quirk of her brow, put off by the answer.

What was with this weirdo?

The woman said nothing for a long time, her piercing eyes staring at Claire like a cat coming across a stray mouse.

Shifting in discomfort, the girl gave her a suspicious yet questioning look. "...Is there something that I can help you with?"

Pulling her hand from the wall, the woman slipped her hands into the pockets of shorts, her face betraying nothing as she started to approach. "I was admittedly feeling a little curious," she said in a slow and deliberate manner, circling around Claire like a predator. "You seemed distressed by Nivans' departure. Saddened, even."

Claire rubbed the back of her neck. "Um...Well, yeah. We were friends."

"Friends," the green-clad woman repeated, nodding and humming thoughtfully, looking doubtful by the assertion. "That's funny. I would have thought that you would have been more excited."

Claire blinked. "What do you mean?"

The woman lazily sauntered back and forth. "One less obstacle in your path. With Nivans gone, that's one less opponent to fight in the tournament." She then 'oohed' and shimmied her shoulders, a smirk on her face. "How exciting for you! I have to say, the good girl act has been quite convincing. You really know how to put on a performance."

Blinking rapidly, the auburn-haired girl's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?! I wasn't doing anything."

"Uh huh. Sure."

Clenching her fist, Claire offered the older woman a sharp glare, her eyes locking directly onto the latter's.

"What is your problem?!" She snapped, causing the the woman to abruptly stop.

The street was silent as the two females stared each other down, both locked in a battle of wills as the younger of the two tried to intimidate the older woman.

But the woman in green took no notice of the attempt, nor did she offer anything other than a cold neutral stare, though there was a slight mocking gleam in her eyes that regarded Claire's efforts as little more than amusing.

The intensity in the woman's eyes was unlike anything Claire had ever seen nor experienced before, one that little by little sapped Claire of her strength.

Claire tried to maintain eye contact as much as she could, if only because the prideful Redfield part of her stubbornly refused to be cowed, but the woman's stare was unnerving in a way that made the young girl feel uncomfortable, even small.

Putting her hands on her hips, Claire let out an indignant huff. "Do you have a problem with me?"

The woman in green's brow barely raised an inch. "What gives you that idea?"

"Ever since we've met," Claire spoke slowly, "you've been treating me as if I'm some piece of gum stuck to your boot, and quite frankly, I'm really sick of it. Who do you think you are?! Just who the hell do you think you are?! You think that a person's crying is funny?! Whatever game you're playing, back off. I want no part of it."

The words lingered as the wind picked up, causing the green jacket to flutter. Claire's harsh gaze remained fixed on the green-clad woman's eyes, determined to win the silent challenge between them.

A partial smirk rose up a corner of the latter's mouth.

"So," the woman in green murmured in a soft tone that was filled with patronizing amusement, looking Claire up and down as if sizing her up, "the little mouse has a bit of spunk."

She hummed thoughtfully to herself, tilting her head to the side before narrowing her eyes, drawing back her lips in a full felinid-styled smile, flashing her teeth as she let out a slight chuckle, the gesture and sound both causing Claire to unconsciously tense up. "I like that."

Claire uneasily watched the woman, alarms blaring in her head, warning her to keep her guard up. Something was warning her against proceeding any further, against fighting this woman.

There was something in her stare that the girl did not like at all. Something dark.

For reasons unfathomable to her, Claire couldn't help being reminded of her time at the Raccoon City Zoo when she was a little girl, when she had first laid eyes on one of their tiger enclosures, staring eye to eye with one of their big cats.

She felt the enigmatic woman's strangely intense eyes regard her with cold calculation, and for a long while, Claire began to wonder if she was going to die.

Finally, just when the waiting became too unbearable, the girl lowered her eyes and blinked in submission.

Smirking, the green-clad woman's eyes shined in silent triumph, causing her to raise her chin as she then slipped her hands back into the pockets of her shorts.

"For the record," she said slowly, "I don't have a problem with you, little mouse. Not yet, anyway. I was just going to give you a bit of, shall we say...friendly advice." The smirk fell, her eyes taking on a harshly serious edge. "You should learn to be more careful of who you make friends with around here."

Claire gave her a confused look. "Why do you care?"

"I don't," the woman asserted. "I don't know your story, and quite frankly, I don't want to. That being said, I suppose it is only fair that you should be warned ahead of time rather than pay the price for your ignorance later on. "

The college student bit back a sharp remark as she tried to reign in her temper as much as she could. From the way the woman was speaking, it reminded her of someone talking to a child, to an idiot, a fact that Claire did not appreciate in the slightest.

"So what's the warning? Don't make friends with anybody, including you?"

The woman gave an uncomfortably bright yet enigmatic smile, the expression making Claire squirm. "Smart girl. You should be more wary of those you call your "friends", little mouse. You seem to be operating under the mistaken belief that you can solve all your problems by being 'nice'; if you are nice enough, the world will become a better place." She shrugged. "A romantic notion...but flawed. Being nice will get you nowhere, little mouse. The world doesn't care about either 'nice' or 'good' people, nor is it kind - it consumes them and breaks them down, bones and all, and all that you are doing is putting a dinner bell on your back."

Claire placed her hands on her hips. "So what would you suggest then? Be a shitty person like you?"

The woman barked out a laugh. "Oh, you wish! It would be a start, though."

"That's such crap," Claire retorted. "There are plenty of nice people in the world. Plenty of good people who are fighting in the tournament-"

"There aren't," the woman coldly interrupted. "They're predators, little mouse. Each and every one of them. And all that you are doing is making yourself an open target."

Claire scoffed. "Bullshit. They're not all bad."

The woman's grin never faltered. "Keep telling yourself that. If you click your heels three times and wish for it hard enough, you just might believe it. Of course, you would have to be a complete and total moron to not see the signs. For instance, that monk friend of yours. Were you aware that he had killed a man?"

Claire didn't mask the shock that she felt, the girl rearing back in surprise at the question.

"It's true," the woman in green nodded. "A few years ago he had killed a member from his own order. He had claimed it was self-defense, but given the fact that some of his psychological evaluations seem to indicate some underlying mental defects, well..." The silence lingered as Claire digested the woman's words, unnerved by this new information. "And that's not even bringing up your friend "Billy"."

Claire hesitated. "Billy? W-What do you mean?"

She watched as the woman in green gave her a cold smile. "Wouldn't you like to know. It's probably for the best that you don't know. It would seem that Billy has been a very naughty boy, and now he's in a deep load of trouble."

The girl regarded the enigmatic green-clad figure. "How do you know all this?"

The woman in green winked. "I have my ways," she coyly replied. "Like I said, it would be in your best interests not to be too chummy with everyone here. Everyone is in it for themselves, and when given the chance, they won't hesitate tearing into your soft underbelly for their own personal gain."

"And what makes you so different?" Claire placed a hand on her hip. "Why should I even listen to you?"

The smile grew, almost taking on a feral quality, reminding Claire of a wild animal baring its fangs. "I'm the apex predator, honey. Unlike the rest of the competition, I can afford to give my prey fair warning. So...watch out."

With that declaration, the enigmatic woman turned her back toward her, then sauntered away, letting out a light chuckle as she buried her hands into the pockets of her green shorts.

Claire watched as the woman vanished into the shadows, leaving her alone.

Slightly disturbed, Claire adjusted her red vest and quickly left, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched.


The inside of the church felt noticeably more tense and oppressive as Claire stared up at the holographic display overhead, each of the fighters waiting with grim anticipation to be called for the next match.

An uneasy feeling made itself known in the pit of the girl's stomach as she and the others waited. Ever since Piers' departure, she couldn't help feeling as if a switch had been thrown. Whereas before Claire had felt a sense of giddiness and mild fear, if only because of the novelty of being on her favorite television program and the all-too natural sensation of not wanting to embarrass herself, things felt different somehow.

If anything, those feelings have been replaced with an ever-growing discomfort, and with Piers' departure, to a certain degree lonelier than she anticipated.

Waiting for the call to fight felt less like either a pursuit of glory, nor did it feel like a hopeful step of progress for Claire; if anything, she felt uncomfortably and grotesquely more like cattle being led to the slaughterhouse to be butchered, and that she were waiting her turn.

She swallowed back her fear, trying to put aside her growing nausea at the image in her head of fighters being fed one by one to an oversized meat grinder.

'I wonder whose turn it is today,' Claire wondered.

No sooner had those thoughts left when the announcer called over the microphone, "ROXY RAVE!"

A spotlight fell over the crowd, the speakers playing Aqua's "Barbie Girl" as it illuminated a blonde-haired woman with a bob cut and a red headband...but...it was what she wore that caused Claire's eyes to widen in complete shock and stare.

Some of the fighters took notice as they all whooped and cheered loudly, mostly the men, with some whistling. One or two rolled their eyes, while a few blushed and turned aside, shifting their attention elsewhere.

Nearby, T.J. was grinning and cat-calling. "YEAHH, BABY! SHAKE THAT MONEY-MAKER!"

To Claire's surprise, the woman didn't seem to mind; if anything, she seemed to enjoy the attention, and with each step toward the arena, she knowingly and seductively swung her rear in slow, drawn-out arcs as she offered T.J. a wink.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Claire muttered as she took in the woman's appearance.

The woman was pretty, gorgeous even, a twenty-year-old with a curvy, hourglass shape, her pink skin smooth and supple. Claire spotted some good muscle tone on the woman's arms, legs, and abdomen, which clearly indicated that she worked out.

Her outfit, however...left a lot to be desired.

A red strapless bustier hugged tightly around "Roxy's" torso, giving prominence to her admittedly impressive bust, while her hips wore what appeared to be little more than a red thong. Completing the overall package - or lack thereof - were a pair of knee-high red boots that accentuated her impressively long legs, while a pair of long red gloves that reached to her elbows adorned her arms.

In one hand, the blonde carried a long metal pole.

Claire watched with both fascination and embarrassment as the woman pushed her way through the crowd toward the arena, shaking her head disbelievingly at the woman's state of dress.

"Unbelievable," she muttered.

Billy shrugged beside her. "Can't say that's the most practical of outfits for a fight." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, "I wonder who's going to be facing her."

Neither of them had long to wait for an answer as the announcer selected another fighter.

"ORCHID!"

To Claire's surprise, the spotlight fell on an all-too familiar figure, drawing the girl's attention instantly over to the woman in green, the audio shifting to "K.I. Feeling".

Smirking, Orchid made her way toward the arena with both hands concealed within the pockets of her green shorts, her movements ethereally delicate and graceful, every step from her long legs carefully precise.

Whereas "Roxy" looked more like a prostitute turned fighter - which wouldn't surprise Claire if that were the case, to be perfectly honest - in contrast, Orchid looked like a woman with class, someone who moved with grace and discipline.

A true lady in every sense of the word - seductive, confident, intelligent, elegant, and mesmerizingly beautiful, and she knew it.

In a way, Claire couldn't help being reminded of a big cat like a cheetah, leopard, or tiger on the prowl every time she watched Orchid move, the latter's eyes shining with a strange light that made her look hungry. Not with either lust nor desire, but with anticipation.

As the woman in green elegantly strolled toward the arena, Claire felt her gaze drawn to her short distinctive jacket, drawn by something red on the back. She didn't know how she could have missed something so beautiful, especially considering the fact that the words "HOT" were written entirely in neon yellow, but to the girl's surprise, on the back of Orchid's jacket was a large but lovely-looking rose in full bloom.

Seeing the enigmatic figure move closer to her destination, Claire found herself leaning forward far more interestedly than she anticipated, watching the woman with great interest.

"FIGHT ON!"


The cage closed just right behind Orchid as she allowed her eyes to scan her surroundings, her opponent standing at the other end of the arena.

Giving her an appraising look, the woman gave her a dismissive scoff, looking unimpressed.

"So," "Roxy" spoke, drawing her attention, "what's your story?"

Orchid casually shrugged. "Nothing to tell, really. Just a girl trying to survive a tough world."

Roxy nodded in agreement. "I hear you on that, sister."

Tilting her head to the side, Orchid gave her a curious look, her eyes flashing in recognition. "I've seen you before," she spoke slowly. "You worked in the downtown strip club. Your name is Wanda, isn't it?"

"Roxy" shrugged, holding out her palms in concession. "You got me. I do what's necessary to survive. I got bills to pay and kids to feed, and they're not going to pay and feed themselves."

"Hm." Orchid then folded her arms together, holding her chin. "I'm guessing there's no "Mr. Rave" looking after them."

Wanda laughed lightly. "Nope, never has been. Just little ol' me. Got pregnant at sixteen after doing tricks on the street. I have six kids and no idea who the father is for any of them. Hell, some are probably rotting away in jail. Can't even afford a damn babysitter."

"So who's looking after them?"

Wanda gave her an irritated look. "Why do you care?"

Orchid shrugged nonchalantly. "Just making conversation."

"I bet," Wanda said dryly. "They're on their own. Don't worry, they have food and water. My oldest is looking after them."

"And how old is your oldest?"

"Ten years. They should be fine when I get back." Orchid glared at the scantily-clad woman. "Ah, there it is! The moral indignation, the disapproval. Like I don't get enough of that from my own parents. You think you're better than me?"

The woman in green harrumphed, giving her a contemptuous look as she spoke with a low, honey-dipped sneer in her voice, "Oh darling, I know I am."

"And what makes you so much better?!"

"Survival is one one thing, and then there's being a stupid whore," Orchid coolly replied, making the blonde clench the pole tightly. "I've done a lot of things in my life, much of it I'm not proud of, to be honest. That said, however, at least I have enough class and self-respect to not spread my legs open for every Dick and John that comes my way. Even more to realize that leaving kids behind without someone to look after them is a bad idea."

"Yeah, well, not all of us are as fortunate as you, Princess!" Wanda spat as she twirled her weapon. "I plan on changing that. Whatever it takes to get by."

The woman in green looked up and down at her weapon, appraising it.

"So...you're good with a pole," Orchid remarked, putting a hand on her hip as she smirked. "How fitting."

Wanda snarled, getting into a stance as she raised the pole high over her head. "I'm gonna wipe that smirk off off that pretty face of yours, bitch!"

The "bitch" in green felt her smirk grow, flashing her teeth as she pulled from her belt a pair of batons, her eyes narrowing like a huntress that had found her prey as she twirled them effortlessly between her fingers. "I'd like to see you try."


Claire watched as the two women talked, unable to hear anything that they were saying.

Whatever Orchid said really riled up the other woman, causing her to get into a stance.

By contrast, the woman in green was calm and collected as she stood tall in the center of the arena, with one baton-holding hand placed firmly on her hip, the other hand dangling loosely at her side, her posture somehow reminding Claire of a gunslinger getting ready to draw.

Moments later, Demi Lovato's "Confident" started to play from the speaker, drawing both Claire and Orchid's attention as they heard the introductory heroic blare of trumpets before teetering off.

Looking back to the arena, Claire watched as the green-clad woman tapped her foot to the beat.

"Are you ready? Ha!

It's time for me to take it
I'm the boss right now
Not gonna fake it
Not when you go down
'Cause this is my game
And you better come to play.'

The two women stared each other down as they stood within the arena, one harsh and angry, the other coldly professional as she folded her arms behind her.

'I used to hold my freak back
Now I'm letting go
I make my own choice
Bitch, I run this show
So leave the lights on
No, you can't make me behave."

As the green-clad woman continued to bob her head to the beat, Claire noticed a sly smirk slowly lift from the corner of the older woman's lips as she looked back at her opponent, showing off her teeth, as if daring her opponent to hit her.

"READY!"

Letting out an enraged yell, Roxy leapt toward Orchid with an vertical swing, who casually stepped to the side and ducked as the former followed up with a series of horizontal ones.

"Uh, huh, huh
So you say I'm complicated
That I must be out my mind
But you've had me underrated
Rated, rated."

Various attempted pokes and jabs were met with nothing but air as the green-clad woman twisted her head and/or torso, evading every strike with ease, further angering the blonde. Claire then watched as Orchid whirled around with a casual twist on her heel, sending Roxy stumbling toward the other end of the cage.

Claire heard Roxy panting loudly as the latter glared at her opponent, who merely stood still in the center of the arena, her eyes filled with amusement.

"Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being confident?"

Grinning widely, Orchid slipped her tongue between her teeth before playfully shimmying her shoulders, taunting the blonde.

"Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being confident?
Uh, huh, huh."

"You BITCH!" Roxy roared, charging.

No sooner had those words left her mouth when the two women suddenly sprung into action, their strikes fast and fierce. Batons clanged against Roxy's pole, effortlessly deflecting and striking at the arms, legs and thighs with blinding speed, their movements so swift that Claire had trouble following. Whereas Roxy's movements were wild and somewhat sloppy, Orchid in contrast looked more like a dancer, her movements precise and pristine as she pirouetted away.

"It's time to get the chains out
Is your tongue tied up?
'Cause this is my ground
And I'm dangerous
And you can get off
But it's all 'bout me tonight (Tonight)

'Uh, huh, huh
So you say I'm complicated
That I must be out my mind
But you've had me underrated
Rated, rated."

Getting into a side stance, Orchid started to flip and twirl the batons around her hands and fingers, the air humming and dancing with light.

"Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being confident?

'Uh, huh, huh (Yeah)."

Smirking, Orchid made a mock crying gesture with one hand, pushing her lower lip out in a slight pout.

"'What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being confident?"

Losing all patience with her, Roxy shrieked in absolute frustration as she ran toward the green-clad woman, propelling herself in the air with her own her staff as she prepared to slam the pole down with all her strength.

"Uh, huh, huh (Yeah)."

Leaping high off the ground, Orchid met the attack with one of her own, ramming her knee straight into Roxy's face, the blow breaking her nose, knocking some teeth loose. The pole clattered to the floor, its owner falling into a bloodied heap, while the woman in green gracefully landed back down with feline-like elegance and precision.

"So you say I'm complicated."

Standing over the unconscious woman with one hand on her hip, Orchid coldly stared down at her, her eyes betraying her disgust while the injured Roxy glared up at her with one open eye, struggling to get back up to her feet.

Lifting up her chin, Orchid sneered at her fallen opponent.

"But you've had me underrated..."

The woman in green lifted up one hand, then casually rolled her wrist, flicking her short hair dismissively before turning her back on her as the various fighters cheered on the victor outside the ring.

"WINNER!"

Preening at the attention, Orchid smiled brightly at the camera, waving one baton high in the air, shouting "YEAH!" as Demi Lovato's song continued to play.

"What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (What's wrong with being)
What's wrong with being confident?

'Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being confident? (Oh, yeah).'

Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (What's wrong with being)
What's wrong with being confident?

Uh, huh, huh (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being confident?
Confident."

Finally, once the song concluded, the announcer spoke into the microphone, growling, "SUPREME VICTORY!"

With that last proclamation, Orchid strutted out of the cage, looking smugly satisfied with herself.


Claire watched as the mysterious woman exited, her demeanor reminding the young girl of a cat that had just eaten a canary.

Looking back to the cage, Claire winced as various medical personnel placed the broken and defeated form of Roxy onto a stretcher, while some of the staff gathered up all of her teeth.

Beside her, T.J. let out a low whistle. "Dayum. Now that was what I call a good cat fight."

"She's good," Claire admitted. "A little too confident for my liking, but she is a good fighter." Looking back to the woman on the stretcher, the girl's eye's softened. "Did she really need to be so rough with her, though?"

"The answer would be yes." Startled, Claire turned to find Orchid standing right behind her, drawing her attention along with T.J.'s and Billy's. Placing her hands into the pockets of her shorts, the woman in green approached Claire, her eyes meeting the latter's. "Did anyone ever tell you that it's rude to talk about someone behind their back?"

Blinking, Claire smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of her head as she averted her gaze. "Ahh, yeahh." She then cleared her throat, "S-Sorry about that."

Orchid said nothing, her eyes levelled directly at her, staring for three whole minutes. Finally, as a gesture of her accepting the younger girl's submission, the woman in green wickedly flashed her teeth as an act of dominance before turning her back, leaving without saying a word, disappearing into the crowd.

Once she was certain that the woman was gone, Claire sighed in relief.

"That is one scary woman," she muttered.

Billy scoffed. "No kidding. I had no idea she was even there until she spoke up."

T.J. hummed, nodding in agreement before speaking up, "She has a nice ass, though."

Turning to face him, both Billy and Claire gave the boxer a deadpan look.

"What?" he shrugged. "I'm just sayin'."

Rolling her eyes, Claire looked back to the spot where Orchid had stood, her orbs roaming along the throng of fighters in search of the mysterious woman.

Finding nothing, the girl turned in the direction of the arena, watching as cleaning staff attempted to wipe the blood off the floor.


Author Notes: And that concludes this chapter! :)

To Big Evil: I'm glad you're liking them so far! :D

As to your question about Justice, I actually do have something in mind for him in the future, along with Star. For the time being, though, that will need to wait, but once the RE1 section of Book Two for "A Star's Descent" has concluded, I can move onto the actual meat that I want to dive into in relation to HOTD's side. I have something very special planned for the RE2/3 storyline. ;)

Take care, everyone - stay safe and healthy! :D