Progress Report (for CyanDimitrick)

Carmen listened on with rapt attention as he talked - it was an interesting story, really. She'd been curious about Domino since they met - he seemed like a nice guy, all the way. All of the guys she'd fought so far had been, really, but he'd been special - he gave her advice, good advice that she took to heart. She didn't have a perfect record - she had losses, sure. But they were good losses. She felt she was improving. And he'd started her down that road.

"Dad's in the business?" She leaned back against the turnbuckle. shaking her head. "I know that story. Though I'm betting the way you tell it's a little different than me and my Dad." She ran a hand over chest. "So how've things been going for you so far? Aside from our match, I mean. Settling in okay, no big feuds?"

"Eeeyep," nods Drake. "I'm legacy."

Though the mention of Carmen's parent has him raising an eyebrow. The teen leans forward, propping his elbows along his knees. "Was he the 'get it done right and right now?' type? Super disciplinarian? Mine definitely wasn't. My mother was the strict one. Dad was a goofy guy outside the ring."

He then leans back on his perch, swaying his feet in a decidedly kiddish manner. "Settling in alright, I guess. As a guy, it's really easy to get overlooked in this roster. Really easy. But I keep my shoulder to the wheel. Short of doing something scummy, it's the only way to get a shot at the title. And I want that title." His gaze lifts as he reflects. "So far, I've had more wins than losses. But I had one crappy loss that I blame entirely on voodoo. I've reviewed it, and I just can't wrap my head around how a girl barely pushing five feet tall - tiny slip of a thing - can tank everything I throw at'er. And I mean everything. You know that sort'a-cannonball-y thing I did earlier? I could hit her with a full-on dropkick, and I'd be the only one hitting the mat. She felt no pain, never tired, and was stronger than people twice my size."

He leans forward with a frown. "And I've faced people twice my size! I know when something's up, and something was definitely up."

Though he digresses! "Sorry. Kind'a ranty. No big ol' fueds or friends or anything out here yet. What about you?"

"My Dad was..." That was a complex question, now that she actually thought about it. He was like that. Strict. Brutally honest. Taciturn. But it wasn't that simple.

"Yes and no." She fell back and let the ropes bounce her around a bit. "He was like that, yeah, but mostly with my brother. Me, he never really accepted too much as a boxer. He's really old-school, you know? Women's boxing was a joke when it started out, took a long time to get the respect we got today...and we still don't have much respect, really. Like the money I make right now, just as a low-card wrestler?" She whistled and shook her head. "So much better than when I had the gloves on, it's not even funny. I've almost made more money as a wrestler than I did with my whole pro-boxing career. And I was undefeated for a good while."

She pushed off and made her way to the center of the ring, dropping down and practicing her elbow drop. "And nah, no, nothing major. Well..." She popped back up with a quick hop. "I met up with this girl I fought with before I went off to the Olympics, Lorenza. Tough bitch - we have a boxing match about a month or so ago, settled an old score. No bad blood, though, just a rivalry sort of thing."

Drake watches her bonk the mat with an elbowdrop, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah? You whip'er?" After a beat, he blinks. Something clicks. "Wait, you met up with her after coming here? So there's another boxing fanatic chick roaming the Tension rosters? Or is she with the all-female bunch?"

The teen finally hops down from the mat. "And, hey, you hit hard. Anyone who'd laugh at you punching'em is either insane or a robot." His eyes shift to the side. With some bitterness, he adds, "Or magical."

"She's on Friction, yeah. Lorenza Saldano." Carmen got back up and bounced around for a moment,'getting her second wind. "Don't even watch it all that much, my brother caught it first. Went over there challenged her to a match. Won, but...split decision. So we're having an NHB match to finish it. She's probably a better street fighter than me, so I'm looking to surprise her with some high class wrestling moves and even it up."

She smiled at the last comment. "Sweet of you to say. But bottom line? The money isn't there. I'm thinking I can help the sport by doing well here, though. She people what a lady boxer can do."

"A split decision on a win?," Drake asks with a cock of his head. "Those had to be weird circumstances."

Aw, see, here she goes saying he said something sweet, but now he feels he has to say something that's in the opposite direction. So tentatively, he adds, "Yeah, uh... I dunno. The boxing's great in a boxing ring, but here, the rules are totally different. You've found that out by now. All it takes is someone taking the fight to the mat before all the boxing finesse in the world goes down the drain."

He bobs his foot forward, as if pointing at her with his toe. "You're in a whole new world now, hon'. You're adapting well. Don't stop your momentum and fall back into old habits for pride's sake. Keep growin'."

"Yeah. So weird that it's happened to us twice in a row, now. Lorenza Saldano and me have a weird relationship." She threw her hands up and moved back to the side, starting to work on her running clothesline. Weird sort of move, but if she could get it down, it would be a good way to chain into better things.

"And you're dead on about the submissions." She came bounding out from the side and swung out, her arm come out in a wide, quick arc, nice and sharp. "My throw game is pretty good, but once things get on the mat, I'm in trouble. That's where all my loses come from." She ran to the other side and came out with another one, even faster, trying to wait for the last possible second before it came out.

"Ohh, a relationshiiiip~?," teasingly drawls Drake. "And y'know, you were the first person in this league to submit to me without my finisher. I should show that to ya sometime. Let'cha see what you ducked."

He's content to watch her take swings at the air for the time being, gauging her form. But of course, there's one problem. "This isn't gonna help ya. Clotheslining someone standing still only works if they're stunned or something. Your usual hits are gonna come from rebounding'em off the ropes. You need a target." And so, down hops the teen. "Pull it back, and I'll let you bump me around."

Carmen just rolled her eyes. The thought had crossed her mind a few times, and it seemed more and more ridiculous every time. "Yeah, no. Lorenza's hot, don't get me wrong, but we're not exactly compatible for that sort of thing. It would probably just turn into another fight. Not that I would mind some tussling on the bed." Yeah, that was a pleasant mental image.

She stepped back as he instructed, getting into position - as soon as he looked ready, she grabbed him by the wrist and tossed him to the ropes, rushing at him with a clothesline as he came back around.

"Uh-huh," is all Drake says with a coy grin. He moves towards her, lets her take him by the arm, and in short order, finds himself whipped towards the ropes. His back turns to stretch them taut, and he barrels towards her again. Her clothesline connects, and he drops back to the mat with a whump. From there, he smiles up at her. "Not bad. Clotheslines aren't exactly rocket science, too, so if you ever draw a blank, they're good to fall back on."

He then lifts a knee to bump at her leg, that grin returning. "So, you and chicks, huh?"