Counting the Cost.

"Wood Panel. Three Pieces of Gold for the Lumber, Ten for the labor. Thirteen Gold," The black clad woman spoke precisely, before her legs tensed and she was airborne. The three monster girls scattered as the woman descended, bringing the club down in a strong overhead stroke which smashed into the trap door, bursting it open with a rending sound of metal on wood.

"Trap Door," She snarled again, spinning and causing the cloak to billow slightly. She focused on Ketsueki, who had just now come to her feet, and was poised in a similar position to the antagonist. "Twenty Five Gold for the metal. Fabrication and work men, another hundred. Two hundred for discretion. Three Hundred, Forty Three Gold." A flush or red crossed her features at the last, before another deadly moment of deadly calm took over.

Xitlaly struggled to her feet, observing the woman as she smashed things. She was powerful no doubt. There were many similarities in the way she moved to her memories of the fight with Ketsueki, who was even now charging, the Kanbo held in a low stance as she rapidly moved. The black clad woman took no action as the enraged Oni charged, and with what looked like a tiny movement, sent the gang leader flying into a rice paper panel, which tore raggedly as Ketsueki smashed down among shards of pottery that had apparently been stacked neatly there.

"Rice Paper screen, Twenty Five Gold. Late Merkin Pottery, fifty seven pieces, A hundred gold each. Six Thousand, Sixty Three gold." The woman spun her eyes focusing on the dryad, who was trying to coax a momentary spark of life out of anything nearby. The whole room felt dead, almost, the only spark of life was... THERE. Her eyes lit on a small plant, delicately planted in a small pot. The cedar looked swept by the wind, and she momentarily loathed the thought of asking such a weak and delicate specimen for its aid. As the woman approached, her heavy footsteps loud in the room, Sans made her decision. She reached out and felt the plant giving its all to aid her, yearning to her grasp and extending into three lengthy woody vines, which wrapped around each other, as the smell of the sea and cedar permeated the air.

Sans Ducked under the swing that seemed suspiciously slow, and spun gently, lashing the feeble plant's gift of power against the attacker. The vine swung high, knocking the floppy black hat from the head of the attacking woman as her club came down hard, smashing the pot into powder. The woman paused, and pushed her dark black hair back from her head, revealing the two horns, which momentarily flashed bright red before returning to their dark black color.

"Bonsai... Ancient. A thousand." Her hand ran over her head, and she stopped, standing up to her full height, as the three girls quickly moved together near the opposite room, after collecting themselves from their various escapades. "And that hat... I liked it, but do you have ANY idea how much it cost to get that made during a bee girl crisis? Had to guarantee safety and escapes for Six tailors, and that is not cheap. Let's just round that up to ten thousand, shall we?"

"What is she talking about, Kets?" Xitlaly grimaced, trying to figure out what this woman was doing. She looked a lot like Kets, moved like her, hit like her. But there was something off. Someone that powerful should have already destroyed them. There was a whole group of men below who had done nothing, just brought them here for her to, what? Play with them?

"No idea," Kets shrugged, her eyes glancing over to Sans, who merely shivered a little. "What's with the running total?"

"The cost you're running up," The woman smiled, raising her club again. With a simple one handed motion, the club smashed against a small wooden panel, breaking it open and causing the sound to echo through the area. "Another hundred." She grinned.

"We... we don't have that kind of money," Xitlaly groaned, as the woman swung the heavy item in front of her, back and forth.

"Guess I just have to take it out of you, then..." The woman grinned again, before charging, a red flush crossing over her face.

Xitlaly ducked to the side, a flash of a spell in her mind as she took aim at the rapidly approaching black and red blur. She felt the energy leap from her, and impact solidly on the woman, who slowed slightly in response and began to react to the attack. As she turned, Sans stepped forward with a lunge, and swung her whip low, entangling the nearest foot, and pulling her further in the direction of Ketsueki. For her part, Ketsueki was now eager for a return of the previous pain she had received, and took advantage of the distracted Oni to launch her own attack, the Kanbo in her hand coming down for a harsh overhead strike..

Somehow, the woman still managed to dodge most of the blow, but it left a solid rent down the back of her cloak. She solidly planted her foot, and yanked herself backwards, the shredded and burned cloak falling to the ground.

"I had that specially made for today, " The woman panted heavily, a grimace on her face as she held her hand to her side where Xitlaly's spell had impacted. "Was supposed to protect this dress..."

The eyes of the Monster girls all focused on the dress she was talking about. The black cloth was encrusted with diamonds criss crossing the entire length of the item in question. The shoulders were covered, but a large cutout over what seemed to be almost a bustier/corset combo exposed the full breadth of the woman's decolletage. The long skirt beneath seemed almost comically inappropriate for the activity the woman was engaged in. Xitlaly wondered why she would be wearing that, of all things to a fight.

"So... the dress is important, huh?" Ketsueki's fingers lashed out to take the firmest grip she could on the cloth.

"You have no idea how much this costs..." The woman snarled, her face flashing bright red as Ketsueki's took on a similar hue. The two of them grappled at each other, pushing and pulling rapidly.

The sound of tearing resounded throughout the entire room as the two Oni women spun apart, a deep rent in the woman's gorgeous dress, and small stones raining down onto the wood, making a soft clatter.

"Late Glish Empire Dress..." The woman smiled with a sinister hue coming over her features "Priceless. Only one in the world. Costs more than any one person will ever be worth..."