Hikaru Matsuoka vs. Carmen Rodriguez - Stepping Up

Match Type: Standard
Victory Conditions: Victory by pinfall, submission, or KO

****

As Carmen sat in the guerilla position and waited for her music to begin and her match to start, she couldn’t help but ponder how strange of a position this was for her to be in.

It wasn’t simply because this was her first normal match in over a year. The 24/7 title had gotten her used to hardcore fights, battle that took her all over Japan and gave her enough street fighting to last a lifetime. While the belt was annoying at times, it was a change of pace. One that she was now done with. As one of the more recognizable faces of Tension, management was all too eager to get her back into the standard match rotation. The 24/7 title was nice, but it didn’t exactly put butts in seats.

It wasn’t because of her change in attire, either. She was going with a new look for the new year - baggy pants, a red bandeau sports bra that showed off her shoulders and a few new muscles about her body. The biggest change, however, wasn’t her doing at all. She was bald now, and would be bald the rest of her life, most likely. That was the consequence of the match she’d lost the 24/7 title with, and she’d honor it. Even if it did feel a little weird.

No, the weirdest thing of the whole scenario had to do with the man standing in front of her, the guy who fretting about her match: Carmen’s brother, Armando Rodriguez. ”Just for the record?” He stood over her as she sat on the floor, finishing up the tape on her fists. ”This is a bad idea.”

She gave him the briefest of glances up, then went back to her work. ”You’re entitled to your opinion.”

”It’s more than my opinion.” Army stomped his foot, looking more like the boy she’d raised than the man he was supposed to be. ”You don’t know SEME like I do. It’s three of them and two of us. That’s bad odds.”

”It’s bad odds if they interfere, but they didn’t do that with you.” Once she finished with the wraps, she bent down and started working on her shoe laces, getting them nice and tight. If what she knew about her opponent held true, she’d have to do a lot of moving. ”What makes you think they’ll do that with me?”

”Because you’re…” His voice started to trail off, but it didn't matter. She knew how he wanted to end it.

”...better than you?” She didn't bother to look up at him, but she knew him well enough to guess the look on his face - pissed, but he knew she was right. It wasn’t a slight against him. Army was good. But she was the better fighter. Their records alone proved that.

Before the matter could be pressed even further, one of the stagehands popped his head into the room to give them the signal. It was time.

”Look,” She stood up and clapped him on the shoulder. ”Back me up, don’t back me up. Either way, I need to get back into this. I need matches, and this is as good a way to start as any. So…”

She turned to the curtain and made her way out as her [url=new music]new music[/url] began. After a resigned sigh, Army followed after her.

It was a good sign that the crowd was still fairly welcoming to Carmen as she came out, despite it being over a year since she set foot in an official ring. Cheers all around, and plenty of high fives to be had as they made their way down the ramp.

Carmen slid into ring and made her way over to her corner, as Army took up post in front of the ring, staring up at the ramp as the music faded away. Soon, their opponents would be coming out. SEME. Army had a little history with them and apparently he hadn’t forgotten it.