Ballroom Blitz (H,T)

All Pictures made by Orifalcon. Thank you

***

“Come here.”

Hazel turned her attention away from the door. Her and her girlfriend had chosen the dance hall to make their stand, creating a barricade together by blocking the doors with one of the tables and some chairs pressed against it for support. Afterwards she’d dropped her boss off at the furthest table from the door to keep her safe, which she returned to when summoned.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Would you like to sit with me?” Helena gestured to the chair she’d pulled next to her. “I’m sure you must be getting bored, just staring at the door all day.”

“No thank you, ma’am. You know I’m content keeping watch. The phonograph is more than enough.”

Helena reached up and tugged down at Hazel’s necktie, her other hand weaving between the buttons of her dress shirt. “Are you sure you don’t want to sit with me?”

“Ma’am…” this isn’t a good time. “I think Genet’s mist might be getting to you.”

“It could be.” Helena agreed. “Don’t tell me you’re not feeling it too.”

“I am… but you know we need to be careful.”

“We’ll stop if anything happens. You have to admit something about this is familiar.” At this point Hazel relaxed, ignoring the seat offered to sit sideways in her boss’s lap. “It feels nostalgic, doesn’t it? The two of us holed up somewhere while a bounty hunter searches for us. It’s like that time in the deli against Le Bombe.”

“Now I know the mist is getting to you, romanticizing our old missions against those mercenaries.” Hazel half-teased, as the redhead reached around and took the suit jacket off her.

“It’s not all the mist.” Helena said. Now she was removing her own plum jacket.

“Oh?” The Indian woman asked as she felt her tie be taken off and her buttons slowly come undone on her dress shirt.

“This really is nostalgic. The two of us, in the trench together. It makes me feel close to you, like I did when I first began developing feelings for you.You’ve always been the only one I knew I could rely on.”

Hazel took over undressing the two of them, stepping onto the floor and shimmying off her lover’s pants as she came down to eye level she asked: “You’re saying that this sort of tension… with me… is doing things for you?”

Helena’s answer didn’t come in words. She kissed Hazel; an eager, almost aggressive kiss as she brought Hazel’s hand down past her panties and pulled her back onto the chair on top of her. The bodyguard understood her job and felt both sets of her lover’s lips.

Hazel Singh, +1 BP (Fingering) (Marraine)

The phonograph’s jazz music subtly transitioned to something that could be slow danced to. Both of them stayed in their seat though, Helena leaning back as Hazel leaned forward over her. The redhead was the less active of the two. The majority of her attention was bound to the kiss that she seemed determined to make last forever. Her idle hands drifted up to Hazel’s nipples, pinching and running her thumb across the dark tips.

Helena Turner, +1 BP (Breastplay) (Marraine)

Hazel was enjoying what her boss had tempted her into. She was playing with the other woman’s folds, teasing the nub of her clit as she felt Helena tremble under her. She had a hand around her boss’s neck, but it was almost more for support since she was trying to sit on the redhead’s increasingly shaky legs.

“Hazel…I…”

“Go ahead.” Hazel gave permission, and a moment later her lover stopped pawing at her chest, slumping back awash in the afterglow.

They didn’t have time to indulge themselves further.

“Do you hear that?” Hazel asked, slipping out of Helena’s lap.

“No, what is it?” Helena opened her eyes, knowing that her bodyguard wouldn’t be alarmed for no reason.

“It sounds like someone’s using a battering ram.” Hazel gave a quick scan through the satchel full of supplies they’d grabbed from her closet, taking a dart gun and offering it over. “Take the tranquilizer. Make sure not to hit anyone with it more than twice.”

Helena nodded, letting Hazel prepare for whatever was coming. The veteran took the collapsible baton out and gripped it tightly, making her way to the dance floor she’d taught Richard at as the thudding on the door grew louder. The wood splintered on the door bit by bit, until the table they’d used for their barricade was shoved across the room. Ata emerged from the wreckage, dusting chips of the door off of her arms and legs.

In response. Hazel swung out the baton and it extended fully with a shunk. She spoke loudly and clearly: “You will leave. I will stop you if you attempt to get any closer to Ms.Turner. This is your only warning.”

Ata took in the scene. One woman, the leashed employer, sat at the far end of the room with a gun with barely more than a shirt on. The other was armed with her stick, willing to face her head on like a hero would’ve done in the old days despite being topless. Both were barely dressed, and neither of them seemed to acknowledge it while they were focused on her. This might make up for how disappointing the last one was. She noticed as she watched the two of them and they watched her back, that jazz music like what was common a few seasons ago was playing from somewhere. The warrior was standing at a… oh. This must be what ballrooms look like nowadays. This’ll be fun. “Let’s dance.”

Ata strode to the ballroom floor, finding a position opposite Hazel. The bodyguard hadn’t significantly moved as she was approached, only raising her baton an inch. Ata reached out at Hazel, just testing what her opponent would do.

She pulled her arm back as the baton swung up to intercept her. After dodging back she tried again, moving faster with her other hand to test Hazel’s reflexes. She was rewarded with a sting to her forearm as she overextended herself.

“Was that Roid Rage you used to get in?” Hazel asked. “I haven’t seen it in person before.”

“I suppose so. I don’t know its name. I got offered access to it while I was chasing… Ava, I think her name was.”

Hazel didn’t ask why she was able to do that. She had a more useful question, if Ata would give her the answer. “I don’t suppose you’d tell me who you’re channeling?”

Ata answered casually as she looked for her next avenue to attack, not realizing the importance of the question. “When I gave this a try, I saw two women in the kitchen. I picked the more careful one, I liked how realistic her mindset was.”

So for however long it takes for her strength to wear out, she’s got Stella’s stuff too. I’m glad Mr.Turner explained Ava’s when Ms.Turner and I were over, I’ve got an idea if I need to. Hazel planned in her head.

Ata tried reaching again with her arms. The first time she saw the swing coming and dodged it. She got stung with the second swing, then on her third try Hazel dodged, retreating before coming back in with a swing towards the shopkeeper’s legs that Ata needed to throw herself backwards to dodge.

“You’re not bad.” Ata complimented. “I’ve been told you were in something called the Air ****?”

“Yes.” Hazel answered shortly, not letting her guard down.

“What’s that?” Ata asked, throwing in another couple jabs more that she didn’t expect to land before dodging away.

“The Air **** focuses on controlling airspace. Moving soldiers where they need to go, scouting where Command wants to focus on, tactical strikes when necessary.” Hazel caught Ata trying to grab her baton and flicked her wrist to catch her on the side. “This isn’t how you normally fight, is it?”

Ata tried to move, stopping the blow from hitting fully. “No. I’m used to a more defensive style with a longer weapon. You seem comfortable with this though. Is this the kind of thing that you needed for your logistics work?”

“Not usually.”

“Then how’d you learn it?”

“When I first joined the military I had a chip on my shoulder, some anger issues that almost got me kicked out. My supervisor gave me a chance when he had to decide what to do about me, gave me places where I could channel my emotions into learning a number of skills until I was able to control myself better. Without Major Crawford’s mercy I wouldn’t have been able to become what the Turners needed.”

Ata drew back, nodding. “You really care about her, don’t you?” The shopkeeper was backing off from testing Hazel, getting closer to the door she'd smashed through.

“More than anything.”

Ata smirked and broke into a run, gunning for Helena. Let’s see how she reacts then.

Hazel found herself paralyzed. Her first instinct was to tackle Ata like she would anyone running towards her boss. But that wasn’t possible here. I could tackle her, but that would take me out of the game. Then Ata would just come back and finish the job.

She’d only taken mild swings of the baton. She felt out the weight of her weapon on her wrist, considering something harder. She could end this. But it was all just a game. Afterwards, she’d need to deal with the consequences…

While Hazel was deliberating, Helena sprung into action. She hopped onto the floor and fired the tranquilizer gun five times in a slow, wide sweep.

Ata thought she saw the shots coming. She twisted as she ran, dodging a shot that could’ve hit her shoulder. She saw two coming; one was to her right and one straight ahead. She spun to the left, getting hit with a thin dart she hadn’t noticed. She saw another shot coming at chest level and hit the floor.

Helena used the last shot in the clip to hit her in the back while she was on the ground.

“You should be feeling that in a moment.” Helena said, as she got back into her chair. She directed her attention to Hazel. “What should we do with her?”

“Nothing. Trying to move or bind her would be too risky. We’ll just have to go mobile. It’ll be tougher with two people, but we can disappear.”

"Good, I'll get my clothes back on so we can move. I'm glad that worked, we'll have to see at lunch if anyone else is still left."

Ata stood back up, plucking both darts out of her toga. She stared down Helena. “What exactly was that supposed to do?"

Hel scooted a few inches away in her chair before answering. She was nervous after seeing that her efforts were fruitless. “There’s a fast acting sedative on the darts.”

Ata frowned. “A sedative? Really? That’s the best you have to offer? Genet gave me immunity to anything that could take away my ability to consent over a dozen seasons ago. I was hoping you’d be at least as fun as your girlfriend, but you’re just a distraction for us both.” Ata crossed the last of the distance between her and the table and started reaching over to take Helena off the board. “Once you’re gone I can give your bodyguard the attention she deser- unh!”

She was interrupted by Hazel throwing one of the tablecloths over her and dragging her back across the room. She ignored Ata’s yelps as she trembled and twitched under the red sheet. “Feeling Overstimulated?” She taunted, struggling to keep her anger in check. She didn’t feel guilty that she was weaponizing the harsh emotional downsides of Stella’s transformation like this. Sympathy was for those that hadn’t insulted Ms.Turner.

Hazel hadn’t been entirely sure if that would work. But she’d needed to try, and was glad it had succeeded. She held the cloth against the floor, feeling Ata’s resistance get weaker as her enhanced strength finally expired. Ata stopped moving altogether as her strength left, and so Hazel dropped her grip on the tablecloth and backed away.

Ata slowly lifted up the tablecloth and stood up again, trembling. She was flushed, and appeared to have trouble looking Hazel in the eyes. “I didn’t think anyone would be so bold. Not during the challenge.”

“It’s what I needed to do.” Hazel’s words were firm.

“Needed to do?” Ata repeated quietly. She brought a hand to her braid and ran her thumb across it, bashful at how forward this relative stranger was being. “I see. It’s been ages since anyone…” The shopkeeper took a deep breath. “I hope you know it can’t change anything. I still need to take you like the others.”

“I’m aware.” Hazel gripped her baton tightly. I’m not sure I know what she’s talking about. But it doesn’t matter. The game’s still on.

Ata attacked again, reaching and swiping faster than she’d done before. Hazel found herself on the backfoot, barely being able to dodge or deflect with the baton. The bodyguard was being thrown off balance by Ata suddenly unveiling a suite of close combat techniques she’d claimed not to have.

A swipe, barely dodged.

A grasp that she batted away with the baton.

A swipe that Hazel deflected, then a quick elbow that almost caught her as Ata started adding follow-ups to her attacks and began to shorten the length between each attempt.

A wide leg sweep came and Hazel backflipped away to dodge it, pulling from moves she hadn't needed since her first year with Ms.Turner.

As Ata moved quickly and attacked anew, something was coming together in the back of the veteran's mind. She slowly realized what was happening as she dodged, trying to keep control of the duel.

When Ata had lost her strength, she’d started to pick things up from Hazel's own training. That was the same sweep Crawford taught me.

“Ma’am, we need to come up with a new plan.” Hazel said as she was **** to retreat. The two of them were edging back to the dining area she’d been trying to keep the shopkeeper away from.

“Should we run?” Helena asked.

“No. She’d just follow us. I’ll buy you time, I want you to take the satchel. My grappling hook is in there, use it to get somewhere high and hard to get to. Hopefully you know where I’m thinking of.”

“Hazel, I’m sure there’s some way that we can get away from her.” Hel pleaded, not wanting to split up anymore. She'd learned her lesson from when she left the set.

“I can keep up with her well enough, but I make one mistake and I’m out. You need to be somewhere else when that happens. She’ll be a lot easier for everyone to handle after lunch if she’s lost access to my training.

You need to make it to sunset for him. Ma’am, this is the closest thing to my job for since we came here.” Hazel could concentrate just enough as she dodged and pivoted to make her argument

“Fine.” Hel relented, as she got her pants back on.

“As you’re leaving, I want you to throw one of the flashbangs. Give me the count of three when you’re ready.” Hopefully she remembers what that means.

A moment later, Helena was dressed enough and found one of them. Remembering what ‘Count to three’ meant, she loudly announced. “One” and threw.

Hazel closed her eyes and covered her ears.

Ata’s world went a blinding, silent white as if the gods had frozen the world. When her senses came back, Helena had long since scampered away, using the enhanced speed her time away from the island had granted her. Hazel was back on the dance floor, gripping her baton and shifting her weight from one side to the other.

“Ready for round two?” The Turner’s bodyguard challenged.