Alex stepped up and bowed to her competitor, muttering "Thank you" in Korean, a tradition shared by many Taekwondo artists.  They were both second degree black belts, so they would have the same arsenal of kicks.  The referee whistled the match in and Alex began to bounce on the balls of her feet.

She stepped in, testing the waters.  Her opponent was first to strike with a 45-degree side kick.  Alex stepped back out, easily dodging it.  She stepped in again this time with a snapping kick.  Her opponent stepped out.

The match went like this for the first minute, each woman stepping in and kicking, testing the other and their ranges.  Finally, the round really began.

Her opponent stepped in, snapping out two front kicks to the solar plexus.  Alex stepped out for the first one but the other was right on target.  The kick was so powerful that Alex could feel the power through her armor.  Her opponent went for a follow-up roundhouse, but Alex circled out and the kick missed.  Alex throw her own 45-degree kick, slamming it into her opponent's side.

The first round finished as quickly as it had started.  Alex went to her corner and relaxed.  Master Howard began to coach her on her technique.  "You're doing great.  Keep circling and you'll be able to get more kicks in."

Come the second round Alex followed Master Howard's advice.  Rather than stepping out, she increased her circling, causing her opponent to miss many kicks, but also leaving less time to counter.  Eventually, Alex's opponent got lucky.  She swung a hard roundhouse kick for Alex's head.  Alex happened to circle right into it.

The top of her opponent's foot made perfect contact with Alex's head, stunning her.  Alex tried to regain her bearings, but it was clear that she was dazed.  Her footwork was off and her reactions were much slower.  Her opponent took advantage of this throwing kick after kick and landing many points.  Alex found a way to get in a point here and there, but there was no way she could win.

The round ended.  Alex went back to Master Howard shaking off the bit of confusion that remained.

"Alex, you are going to lose if you don't put pressure.  Look for any slip up and take your shot.  If you don't you [i]will[/i] lose."

Alex returned to the center of the mat and the final round started.  She began to bounce on the balls of her feet once more, seemingly much better.  Really she just wanted this fight to be over.  Her head was in so much pain.  She wished she could pop a couple pain pills and go to sleep.  But then she remembered who was in the crowds watching her.  Cole was there.  She couldn't look bad in front of him.  And [i]Chelsea.[/i]  Alex refused to look bad in front of her.

Her opponent began to shoot out kicks at an alarming rate.  They were quick and powerful, yet not well-targeted.  Alex allowed her opponent to throw kicks without retaliating.  After the first minute of the final round, her opponent had slowed considerably having gassed herself out.  Now Alex was searching for it.  The one slip up.

Her opponent moved forward and went to chamber her leg for another front kick.

[i]There![/i] Alex screamed in her own mind.  She crossed her left foot behind her right and slid across the mat, shooting out her right foot at an alarming rate.  The heel of her right foot made direct contact with her opponent's nose.  Her opponent gasped and fell to the mat with a loud [i]thump![/i]

Alex retracted her leg and stayed in her fighting stance, almost unaware that she knocked her opponent out.  Those watching the fight erupted in cheers.  Alex didn't even realize they were for her until the ref signaled her to take place in the center of the mat.

She jogged to it, her hand was raised, and the crowd clapped more.  This was the first- and possibly only- knockout of the day.  Alex made her way to the other Taekwondo masters and bowed.  She ran over to her opponent who was recovering and bowed.  Alex returned to Master Howard who was delighted.

"Nice job!  You really used your head there!"  They high-fived and Alex looked over to the crowd.  She saw Cole there with Chelsea.  Alex took her helmet off and lifted her chin with a smug smirk on her face as if to say, "Try me, jerk."

She returned to the lockers to shower and prepare for the demonstrations which would be in an hour.