AV 17 Tag Title: Imperial Order (c) vs. Masuyo & Valley Doll

Masuyo liked to believe she was fast. With the direction she’d decided to take her life, she more or less had to be. It was all about using her weight to strike decisively, make good use of all the muscle she’d worked so hard to build up. Close the distance, hit hard just as fast. Basic mixed martial arts.

But this wasn’t an octagon, this was a wrestling ring with opponents way slimmer, and way quicker than herself. Akiha ducked her strike just in the nick of time, leaving her knee to collide with nothing but a steel bar. Masuyo let out a sharp shriek as she collapsed to the side, the corner post still shaking a tad while she rubbed her knee. Though that wasn’t a huge problem, all things considered. She had the feeling in the back of her head that something like this would happen. She knew her opponent and stayed ready to deal with that reality if it came to pass.

No. The actual problem was when she tried to stand up, and found a devastating kick to the back of her skull waiting for her. The crack echoed out from the ring and caused no small number of people to reel back in their seats and avert their eyes. The sudden reversal brought out a wave of dejected sighs and jeers, the intrepid rookie at the mercy of the imperialist.  

The pain was only compounded as the kick smashed her face against the turnbuckle, leaving the Demon to fall uneasily to the side, a fresh line of blood running down her nose to the top of her lip. After a moment of stillness, she lethargically rolled onto her stomach and went to push herself up, letting out a pained groan and just barely able to make out the ground beneath her feet.

Akiha superkick hit her MMA target dead one, sending Masuyo down to the ground. Seeing the demon face hit the turnbuckle to do additional damage was the icing on the cake. She could go for the pin but there was still a chance that her fellow Japanese wrestler could kick out. No, Akiha needed to hit her opponent with something else that would make sure that she stayed down for good.

An idea entered the crimson hair wrestler head, as she would suddenly attempt to grab the Demon arm and place it in a hammerlock. If she managed to do so, she would then try to roll Masuyo, trying to get her away from the ropes and onto her back, while also trying to hook her opponent legs like a spladle. If everything worked, she would then try to grab Masuyo leg for a small package while still having the hammerlock intact, trying to her hit with her submission finisher 'The Despoiler' also known as the Venus flytrap. Akiha didn’t use submission moves too often and was actually thinking this would catch her dazed opponent off guard.

“...what is...wItH yOu PeOpLe and kickin’ me in tha head?”

Masuyo was seeing brain damage in her future. She could deal with that, but what she couldn’t deal with was overwhelming nausea flooding her head. Even as she grasped the top rope, it was hard for her to bring her head above it. Akiha had legs. She could give her that much.

Just when it occurred to her to turn around, however, Akiha wrenched her arm away and put her in a something. Her body doubled over as she legs were spread apart, redhead throwing her weight over to keep the Demon pinned. She hadn’t been a wrestler long, but she’d been in martial arts for as long as she could remember, and not a single thing about this hold was ringing any bells. All she knew for sure was that it hurt. It hurt like hell.

Masuyo let out a shriek as the crusader clamped down, her spine and lower body being pushed to the limit, her pert butt hanging in the air as her legs were pushed further and further down. She thrashed about, every muscle flaring, loose strands of her raven hair clinging to her face. Her first instinct was to crawl away, but in this position and only one arm, Akiha had taken that away from her. If this were any earlier in the match, she may have been able to power through it. Use the size and strength difference to buck and muscle free. Now? She was in a bind, plain and simple. Stuck.

She closed her eyes tight and slammed her fist into the ground. Had to hit something. Had to think.

"What do you mean what is with us kicking you in the head, it's an effective tactic, its a part of the body you cannot really work out. So no matter how strong or tough you are, a hit there is always going to be effective."

It seemed that Akiha needed to explain a few things to fellow her Japanese warrior. Usually, she would expect a higher quality from a fellow countrywoman but she was new to wrestling and had taken out her tag partner so the crimson hair wrestler decided to give the so-called Demon a pass in this one specific case.

Managing to lock in her finishing submission move, a cruel smile would appear on Akiha face. Not only was it a brutal move but it was also a humiliating one. She could feel her opponent resisting trying to get out of the hold but the crimson crusader would keep it locked in, the longer this went on the more damage she did and the more likely Masuyo was to tap.

"You know I am not really an expert on submission moves, I prefer high flying ones. I could have gone and tried to learn a large number of them becoming pretty decent at them... but I instead choose to simply practice the basic ones and master one specific move advance move... I assume you can guess which move that is."

“I...it’s a decent one…”

It really said something that despite all the pain she was being put through as her legs were peeled apart, as her spine was curled back to the breaking point, Akiha’s condescending dribble was somehow making things worse. What she’d give to just punch that face one more time.

She didn’t focus on that though. Masuyo was stronger than this. Stronger than her. She fought and struggled all she could. Her silky, dark hair whipping about as she tried to turn this way and that. The veins in her arms and the contours in her shoulders defining themselves as she pushed and pushed, trying to break free however she could.

But nothing was giving. Her sweat-clad body laid flat on the mat...then jerked as the crusader torqued her legs again. She stared up at the stage lights, her expression turning solemn, realizing there was only one way out. The way Akiha was leaving open for her. And she may have been fine with that. She gave it her all and it wasn’t enough. She’d pushed herself to the limit and had nothing more to give. It’s not like she hadn’t lost before today. This was why she was here, right? To learn. Be stronger than before. No shame in it.

...so why was this so hard to do? Why did she feel like she was letting someone down?

She was getting flashbacks from her debut. Gassed out, pinned beneath a slimmer, yet more experienced wrestler, trapped in an impossible situation. A sinking feeling grew in her chest. Everything she put in to get here, every ounce of effort weighed down on her. Had anything really changed at all?

“Chikushou...chikushou...”

She didn’t know the answer, but she did know that she had to face reality. Another sharp shriek escaped her lips as Akiha kept on the hold. It wasn’t worth the damage it could bring. It’s not what Gin would want. What Valley would want. She could already hear the crowd’s protests as she slowly raised her hand. She held it there for a moment, a single, agonizing moment before she did what she’d never done before:

She tapped out.

Akiha had the hold nice and secured, the longer she kept it up the better position she was in. Each moment was giving her some time to recover from the attacks she had taken earlier and also tearing down her opponent legs. Even if Masuyo escaped, Akiha would have a huge speed advantage. She would keep pulling on her opponent legs, trying to apply as much pressure as she could. She had to say though, Masuyo was putting up a good fight, still not tapping, though it was also getting annoying as well, hopefully, her fellow Japanese wrestler would come to her senses.

Then finally, Akiha heard the tap but kept the hold in until the bell rang. She would let go of her opponent and get to her feet. The audience would boo at the result, annoyed at the result wishing that Imperial Order had lost. A smirk would appear on Akiha face as she was then handed both Tag Team Belts, hers and Gwendolyn. Oh, this was great, it would be something that she could rub in her tag team partner face. Her hand would then be raised into the air as she was declared the champion. Once her hand was released the Japanese Crusader would even go to one of the turnbuckles and climb it and raise both belts once again into the air, just to spite the audience. After which she would hop off and make her exit.

Masuyo wasn't exactly sure how much time had passed until Akiha had left. She'd heard bits and pieces. The jeers from the crowd around her, her redheaded adversary leaving the ring, that damn orchestra going the whole time. She laid flat on her back with one arm draped over her eyes, protecting them from the sting of the stage lights beaming down on her.

She knew what happened. She lost. Nothing left to do but to pick herself up. Get patched up. Maybe check up on Valley. Work on an apology on the way over. She could do all that. Had to. She was just having trouble finding the strength to move. She felt heavy, drained, more so than usual.

The referee went to call for assistance, but the MMA maven waved her off, not saying a word. It wasn't a bad idea, considering how thoroughly Akiha had worked her legs. But she walked in here on two feet. Like hell she was going to be the only one leaving on a stretcher. She rolled out of the ring, landed on two wobbly legs, and began the long and painful journey towards the exit.

That was, until she heard the faint clapping as she made her way up the ramp. The aspiring rookie spared a few glances to her left and right, stopping for only a second as the applause grew slightly higher. She continued up the ramp and disappeared around the corner, a weak smile on her lips.

Not there yet.