Tomoko Iida vs. Spider Kikuchi - Ready or Not

Match Type: Standard
Victory Conditions: Pinfall, Submission, or KO.


The gorilla position.

Spider Kikuchi hadn’t been back here for a good little while, but now that she was once again, the crew was acting accordingly. They knew the drill all too well after the last match she’d had with the company. Give her space. Don’t look her straight in the eye. Speak to her when necessary and only when necessary, lest you set off the ticking time bomb.

Spider didn’t mind the lack of attention, the people giving her a wide berth. In fact, as she sat on the bench and laced up her boots, she found she preferred it. She really, really was not in the mood for the standard AFW bullshit, today.

Half of that was because she’d been on suspension for the past two months, taking off the roster. ‘Unsportsmanlike conduct’, the officials called. ‘Ageism’, she called it. The higher ups simply didn’t like that she - an older, more talented, prettier woman - had beaten one of their plucky little upstarts and made her look bad. They’d folded to the media pressure, cowed to the idiotic tweets, and so she had to be sacrificed on the altar of public opinion.

But she was back. She was here. She had a match, which meant that she had a great way to vent her frustrations. It was a shame that poor little Tomoko would be the focal point for her frustrations, but oh well. That was just how it went, sometimes.

Before she could get too deep in her thoughts, one of the braver stagehands came over and peeked around the corner, giving her the thumbs, letting her know she was good to go. All-too eager to get her hands dirty, Spider promptly stood up and began to stroll towards the ramp, calm and cool with each step.

In a corner of gorilla position, Alexa had found a home. It had been weeks since she had last stepped into a Friction ring after facing loss after loss. It had been hard finding the motivation to drag herself to the arena to be on hand regardless of not being booked. Ultimately she found motivation outside of herself. The Rising Star champion had given a rousing speech and opened herself for challengers. That was a goal she could reach for that seemed within her grasp unlike any other title gold. She wasn't ready though, not yet. She needed a coach, some research, and a whole lot of training. The plan was in place, she just needed to execute it.

Alexa eyed her notes on the last match quietly, gnawing at the clip of her mechanical pencil idly as she scanned the page. Watching the crowd had become her most recent endeavor, the reason she lingered in gorilla position eyeing the monitors and listening to the swelling sound of the audience just a few feet away. She had come to understand she was an empathetic person at her roots. The mood around her often time influenced her own levels of energy. If she could into the crowd, maybe she could use it to rally in times of need. She had seen in before with other wrestlers. She had thought it was all part of the show in her youth but now she understood a bit better.

The brunette leaned back with a small huff, straightening up where she sat Indian style in the corner. She wasn't sure who was up next but her back was already asking for a change in position so she pushed herself up with a soft groan. Eyeing the faces around her of production staff, there seemed to be a still tension building in the area, one that had her cooking her head curiously as she observed from afar like an biologist in the wilds.

It was her… Spider. Her pad and pencil slipped from her grasp, clattering to the floor as she looked on. Muscles tightening, leaning back up against the wall as if trying to pass though the solid concrete. In the back they said she had been suspended, some rumors even said she was fired… but here she was again. Every detail of this woman was etched painstakingly into her mind, carved into her mind as if with a dagger leaving scars that refused to heal. Her smirk kept her awake at night, her voice polluted her focus in the gym, her mere existence had been enough to keep her from wrestling these last few weeks.

The uncomfortable air Spider radiated didn't seem unique to tljust the both of them either as members of staff gave the woman a wide berth and remaining on the absolute edge. All Alexa could do was remain unmoving hoping so strongly she didn't catch the blonds eye… there was conflict though. A voice inside her crying out in the cloudy haze of self doubt and fear that wanted conflict, that needed resolution to their last meeting. She wanted to badly to confront her but her body wouldn't allow for it, all she could do was remain quiet.

Spider almost didn’t missed AJ entirely. Almost didn’t know she was even there to miss.

It would’ve been an easy thing to do, in her defense. Her mind was preoccupied, thinking about all the thing she was about to do to her opponent, focused in her headspace. Did she have a match,was she just coming out from one? Spider seldom paid any real attention to the program She was just kind of there, for whatever reason, and Spider hadn’t seen her in a good while. Yes, she was the source of Spider’s current problems, but it was the simplest thing to lose that in the details.

And then, boom - there she was. Right there. Looking at her. Spider didn’t say anything for what felt like the longest moment in history. She stared, unsure of what to make of the moment. How long had she even been sitting there? What was she doing with that little pad and paper? Taking notes? Was she about to watch Spider’s match and take notes? Nerd.

Spider could’ve said so many things to the little fly that was staring back at her. Could’ve brought up their last match and asked AJ if she was feeling better. Could’ve reminded her of the way it had gone, how she’d cried and left the ring with her tail between her legs. Could’ve said dozens of things to pour salt on that wound and make it sting just a bit more.

Instead, she just smiled. A quick, glimmer of a smile. Barely a smirk. As much as the current situation annoyed her, knowing that AJ would be watching just made it all sweeter, somehow. ”Thank you.”

She giggled and turned away from her former foe, flipping her hair about as she went, not a care in the world. Now with far more pep in her step, she made her way out through the curtain and down the ramp, head held high all the way until she reached the ring. The crowd booed her every step of the way, and they bothered her even less than usual, a feat she didn’t think was possible.

AJ was watching. That would be enough.

Alexa would talk to herself in the mirror in the morning. Alone with the thick humidity and wrapped in a towel she was far more commanding. She had intend to give Spider a piece of her mind next time they had met, had sounded so confident as she resisted how things were going to play out the next time they wrestled. Confronted with the woman here and now though, she felt just as naked but with nothing to show for it but shame.

Her throat tightened as she swallowed hard, preparing herself to fire back a witty comeback the second the woman opened her mouth, get in any licks she could. She hadn't been prepared to be thanked… nor that smile on the blonds face. She just turned away and left with nothing more, Alexa hadn't been worth any more of her time or energy.

Watching Spider slip through the curtains Alexa gasp for air. She hadn't so much has taken a breath when the two had locked eyes. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions… depression, anxiety, and something foreign to her… a hatred. A tight black ball of burning fire lodged deep in her stomach. The unstable concoction made her ache as if she was about to be sick.

She had fallen at every hurdle placed before her up until this point. Through sheer will, she had managed to pull herself back up and with a bit of encouragement, gotten herself going again. Spider was a wall… no, a mountain. It stood between her and her dreams, a task that needed to be overcome before she could ever move on and feel any sort of achievement. It wasn't her time now… but she had a plan. Next time they met it would be different. She would be different. Next time she was going to win.

It had been a while since the last time Tomoko had a match. She spent most of her time doing some excursions outside AFW, racking up experience before returning back to AFW. Eager for another match, Tomoko donned her wrestling outfit, preparing herself to step out to the ramp where the crowd would cheer for her. She had no idea who she would be facing this time around, but she was determined to have a good time and walk out of the ring with a win.

Soon, her music was played, and Tomoko made her way out to the ramp as she made her return into AFW, cheered by her fans. Making a cute pose, she would then walk down the ramp, bowing her head adorably as she headed over to the ring, where her opponent was waiting for her.

Tomoko Iida:

Once she reached the ring, Tomoko would climb up the steel steps, slipping through the ropes to enter the ring. Then, she took a look at her opponent, whose appearance seemed to indicate that she wasn't one to be messed with. This time, Tomoko wisely decided to not engage her, knowing that at best, she would get a rude rebuff from her. So, she just gave her a bow from distance before going to her corner, preparing herself for the match. She would do some light stretches as she waited for the match to start.

Spider should’ve been focusing on her match. Should’ve been thinking solely about her opponent, coming up with her strategy for this match, going through the process of deciding what body parts she would be breaking and what moves she’d center on.

She wasn’t. She didn't. Instead, she kept thinking about AJ, a little smile on her face all the while. That look on her face when they met eyes, the silent stare - she knew she’d made an impression on the little bitch, but she hadn’t imagined it would be so longlasting. The girl looked like she’d seen a demon, and Spider would be lying if she said the impression didn’t give her some ideas…

Her ruminations were interrupted by the sudden vibrations of the ring, her opponent coming in through the ropes. She seemed wary, the cute thing, keeping her distance and not saying a single thing. Just a bow. Not too cordial.

Spider, for her part, came out of the corner with a sliver of a smile and the most casual of casual gaits, strolling towards the center of the ring.

Spider opened up her ams and beckoned Tomiko towards her as the bell ring. Daring her to make the first move. She was in a generous mood.

Tomoko kept watching her opponent who didn't seem too concerned with her. She didn't know what this Spider Kikuchi had in her mind, but she wanted to make sure that this woman would take her seriously in this match. So, when the bell was sounded, Tomoko was ready to make her first move as she moved away from her corner.

Seeing Spider beckoning to her to make her first move, Tomoko watched the other woman warily. This felt like a trap, and her instinct told her that this woman might have something nefarious in her mind. Warily keeping her distance from Spider, Tomoko would shimmy to the side before suddenly closing in, looking to start off the match with a kick to Spider's side.

Spider flicked away some hair as she leaned forward, making sure her view of Tomiko remained unobstructed. Those eyes of hers - so serious and focused, never wavering - were a mixed blessing. On one hand, such a woman could be dangerous, had a gameplan to execute, knew enough to make a real strategy. On the other...well, in Spider’s experience, the more tightly wound her opponent was, the easier they were to snap. Tomoko Iida was definitely, inexorably, undeniable wound tight.

She stayed low, bent knees, eyes, forward, didn’t make any sudden moves. Waiting, just waiting, for her opponent to get fed up, come in, and…

There.

Tomoko came in with a quick, nice and low, one that would’ve dropped her if she hadn’t been keeping an eye out. As it was, Spider was just able to skip away in time, avoiding the strike, letting it fly by with the minimum of time to spare.

”So close, so close.” She wagged her finger and skipped about to the side, making her way to the center of the ring. Hands up, fingers wiggling, she moved into the position for a collar and elbow tie up, hoping her foe would take the bait.

Tomoko tried the low kick to hit Spider at her side, but her opponent had been watching her since the very beginning, and she easily avoided the kick. Clicking her tongue, Tomoko would assume her stance again as she warily watched her opponent, who then moved into the position for a collar and elbow tie up.

Thinking that her opponent wanted to get into a grapple, Tomoko would step forward, looking to lock up with her opponent, not stopping to think that Spider might have something nefarious in her mind. She was planning to exert her own strength in order to overpower her opponent, thus gaining an upper hand over her in this match.

That’s right. Come in. A little closer, now. A little closer.

Spider moved in with arms raised and fingers wiggling, as the audience cheered Tomoko on and jeered her with all their might. Some of the more experience audience members called out warnings, telling the ‘good girl’ to watch out. Cute. It wouldn’t work, but cute.

She kept up appearances until the last moment, looking like she was ready and willing lock horns with Tomoko, but that changed in an instant - she juked forward, lashed out, and sent two fingers flying right at her foe’s open face, attempting a quick eye poke to get things started in her favor. Establishing a tone.