The Way To A Woman's Heart... (For Alexandra)

That knee was more then enough to leave Angel in a daze, just long enough for Carmen to catch her and pull her in close, wrapping her up into that tight bearhug. The bearhug, though, was enough to bring Angel back out of the daze, looking rather uncomfortable as Carmen started to put the squeeze on her.

She glared into Carmen's eyes, as the boxer pressed their foreheads together, letting out a soft tsk. <Nn...don't get so cocky, Carmen>, she warned her, a bead of sweat slowly rolling down the side of her face as their bodies pushed together, skin against skin, rubbing against one another. <I'm not done here yet...far from it...>

With those words said, she suddenly pulled her head back, closing her eyes tightly before thrusting it back forward, trying to slam her forehead straight into Carmen's, a sort of sudden, quick headbutt. Not too hard, not enough to really hurt either of them. After all, this was just a spar. Just enough to hopefully shock Carmen, to catch her by surprise in hopes that Angel could take advantage of it.

Getting crushed seemed to bring Angel back to life, and the look on her face told Carmen everything she needed to know. She was far from being a submission specialist, but this was something even she could do, and do quite well from the looks of it.

<"Good."> She shook Angel around a bit, savoring the feel of her body and hoping it wouldn't be her only opportunity for it. <"I didn't spend all day cooking for anything less than-">

The headbutt interrupted what would have been a good flirt, snapping Carmen's head back and stunned her. She let Angel go and staggered back, the sheer surprise of the attack stunning her more than anything. <"Ow. Shit."> She rubbed her head as she stepped back.

Angel staggered back from Carmen as well as she was released from the bearhug, wincing at the feeling of their heads slamming together. It was a risky move, and one she didn't like to use much, but sometimes there wasn't really a choice in the matter.

She shook it off though, looking up at Carmen rubbing her head, and she decided to act fast. She darted back in towards the boxer, lifting up one of her long, naked legs, swinging it in a quick arc towards Carmen's side. It wasn't the strongest kick she had ever thrown, it was lacking a lot of the usual power she'd put behind it, but...this was just a spar, right? She didn't want to risk hurting Carmen too bad when this wasn't a serious fight between them.

Still though. It might not have been the strongest kick she had even thrown, but there was still plenty of strength and speed behind it, just enough to send Carmen reeling if it connected.

Carmen half-expected a ref to give Angel a foul. She was getting more and more used to wrestling, but her time as a boxer was still far greater, and the differences still jarred her from time to time. Legal headbutts being a great example. If nothing else, this would be a learning experience.

Carmen's guard went up on reflex before she even managed to focus on Angel again, but it didn't matter since she had the guard up too high. Her body expected punches and moved accordingly, but Angel's kick came in like a flash, hitting Carmen in the side. Just below her elbow, right in the ribs. Carmen had watched plenty of Angel's matches even before she knew they'd be sparring, but it didn't help. Not here. The only way to really appreciate Angel's speed was to see it firsthand.

She bit back a yell and gritted her teeth, falling back, trying to step out of Angel's kicking range for a moment. Bouncing on her heels as she moved, Carmen lowered her guard, keeping her side safe while she looked out for Angel's deadly kicks. This was where things started to get tricky...

It was just a spar. Just a simple, friendly spar between friends. Except...Carmen had seemed to really want to see what Angel could do. As for Angel? She liked to show off. So if Carmen wanted to see what she could do, Angel was more then willing to show her. Besides, she had managed to take that first kick and stay standing. Surely she could take another one.

<Think fast, girl!> she called out, bouncing in towards Carmen even as the boxer tried to back away. With a slight smirk, she came in fast towards her again. This time however, she let her other leg come arcing upwards towards the woman, swinging it in a swift, deadly curve towards Carmen's other side, and this time, she made sure to put just a bit more power, just a bit more speed into it.

If Carmen took this and kept standing? Then Angel would be impressed, definitely.

Carmen stayed weary as Angel moved in like a lioness going for the kill, a devilish smirk on her face. And with good reason, too - it was rare for Carmen to be stuck on the defense, but that was exactly where she was, up against invisible ropes. The kicks brought with them a different timing and rhythm than she'd ever experienced - she could adapt to it, she was sure, but she needed time. Time she might not get.

Carmen saw her start another kick and moved in, looking to tag her with a jab and then see how far she could get, but it wasn't to be - Angel moved faster this time, throwing off Carmen's timing hitting her before she could get in good range. The jab went out anyway, aimed for Angel's face, but it would be small potatoes even if it did hit, and nothing compared to the kick she traded it for.

Carmen croaked as that heavenly leg slammed into her side, sending out some sharp pain through her ribs. She staggered to the side, knees wobbling, close to a fall, but she managed to keep her feet steady at the last moment, backing off once again with a tighter guard. <"That as hard as you got?"> Carmen beckoned her own with a wave of the glove. <"Come on. Let me see some of those kicks that got you the belt. Just a little taste.">

A little extreme, sure, and she was sure she would regret it, but she could tell Angel was holding back. She was supposed to, but even so...Carmen couldn't help but wonder. She might never get an opportunity to go against her again, she had to make the most of it.

Angel watched in satisfaction, as her leg slammed right into Carmen's side, sending her fellow Latina staggering away. Even as she took Carmen's jab and stumbled a step back herself, she watched, wondering if Carmen would stay standing or not, and inwardly hoping that she would. There weren't many women in Friction that could take one of her kicks head-on like that, and if Carmen could stay standing, well...

Angel even caught herself letting out a gasp, as Carmen almost went down, and then letting out a whistle as she caught herself, keeping steady and on two feet. She started to call out to the boxer, planning on congratulating herself for staying standing, but before she could let out the words, Carmen fired off her taunt towards the champion. Angel smirked back at her, for a brief moment, then planted her hands on her hips, staring intently at Carmen, matching her gaze with a fierce, eager look of her.

<You sure about that, girl? If you really want me to stop holding back, I will, but I don't want to hear you complaining about getting hurt afterwards...>

Carmen had to admire Angel's fire, if nothing else. She knew cocky boxers, plenty of them, but most of them were just that - all talk. When Angel made a threat, though, Carmen knew she was 100% capable of backing it up. And then some.

<"Oh, I'm sure."> Her feet slid along the floor as she bounced around in front of Angel, keeping her rhythm. "It's like watching a bird with clipped wings - pretty, but you know you're missing out." She did perfect impression of Angel's own smirk. <"Besides - I'm Tension. You and me won't be in the ring for a long time, if we ever are. Have to make it count.">

She tapped her lips and blew Angel a kiss, then went right back in her stance. <"Come on. Let's make it a night to remember. Thrill me.">

<Your funeral, then...> Angel grinned wider towards Carmen, pretending to reach up and catch her kiss from out of the air, pulling her hand towards her lips to press the kiss there. With a laugh and a wink back towards Carmen, she then came lunging in straight towards her again.

No more holding back. Carmen wanted to see Angel at her best? Fine. That's what she was going to get then.

The Lightning Latina let out a loud, sudden roar as she charged in, fire burning in her eyes as she neared Carmen. With her full speed and full power behind it, her first leg suddenly came shooting upwards again, aiming straight towards the side of the boxer that she had struck first. Nothing fancy, just another kick...only this time, one harder and faster then anything that Carmen had seen out of Angel yet.

If she could withstand this, well...Angel wasn't worried about that. No way she would take this and keep standing.

Suddenly, Carmen felt like her head was below the guillotine. You see the blade coming. Know what it means. Know what's going to happen. But there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

Angel kicked like most boxers punched - Carmen never even dreamed off a kick coming off like that. It was just a flash, an arc that she could barely even see, much less defend against, followed by a dull impact, and then the pain set it, like a furnace roaring in her side. Carmen didn't screamed, she roared in agony as the blow knocked her off her feet with insane power, putting her down on the side

<"That was..."> She winced and started to push up, only to stop for a moment - her side needed rubbing. <"That was - I mean, I'm used to taking punches, so I guess it's not a fair comparison. But damn. That was the hardest single strike I've ever felt.">

She shook her head and held out her hand for a little help back up. <"You're something else, beautiful. First fall's on you.">