[Friction World Cup] Canada vs Japan: Ace vs Akashi

Ace paced herself back and forth, eyes dyed red, hair colored her trademark silver. She had spent the last hour backstage in an empty hallway, stretching and throwing kicks to limber herself up. The extra time had been to try and steady herself for what was about to come. The last time she was inside the Friction Arena, she had been attempting to gain a match, and strike up a friendship, with AFW veteran Akashi Tanikaze. Things...didn't go as planned.

Taking a cue from her parents, Ace had tried to impress Akashi by bringing her impressive, and extremely expensive, gifts. However, the Canadian girl had little knowledge of Japanese culture and ways and, rather then impress the sumo, Ace had offended her honor and outright insulted the older girl in the process, as well as her culture and traditions. Now Ace had the match she wanted, but Akashi would certainly be looking forward to inflicting pain upon the rich and ignorant Canadian.


The crowd cheered mildly as the opening guitar riff of [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqFBPdpv9yA:3g1ycl0w]Warrior[/url:3g1ycl0w] by Axel Rudi Pell played, signaling Silver Ace's entrance. Decked in her now standard and recognized fight gear of long sleeved outfit ending in skirt, with silver shorts underneath, completed by dark stockings that reached her thighs, knee pads, and black boots. She let out a deep breath, lightly smacking her face a bit before heading out onto the ramp, raising an arm for her slowly growing fan base, a few "Silver Ace" signs in the crowd now after her impressive showing in her last match.

Quickly moving down the ramp, she slid into the ring and bounced off the ropes, heading to the other side of the ring and and stopping. She began hopping on the balls of her feet, imitating her last opponent Taylor, who was light as air it seemed whenever she bounced. Throwing some fast punches, she kept bouncing as she watched the entryway to await her powerful opponent, mentally focusing on the task at hand.

Akashi was as serious as she had ever been as she waited for her music to begin. She was dressed in her green leopard print mawashi and her green sports bra. It hugged her ample bosom and she tugged on it one last time to make sure everything was in place. Then she stared at the entrance ramp. After the incident between her and Ace, the fight was a foregone conclusion. But Akashi had decided that she wanted it to be more than that and set the match to be part of the World Cup series that had been going on. Tonight she had more than a fight. She had a lot to prove.

Akashi could hear the flick of the lights going off and the loud roar of the crowd that echoed even back here. There was nothing like it in the whole world and Akashi was prepared to accept it as her [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1fTbDJiyrM:1suf0yyz]music[/url:1suf0yyz] began. The gentle twang of the samishen and the airy female voice that heralded Akashi's entrance. The soft tick of the drums before the crescendo hit and Akashi burst from the stage.

She raised both hands in the air and beat on her chest before she ran straight into the ring. She didn't even weave to the side as she barreled down the ramp, focusing only on Ace. She quickly hopped into the ring and then entered a serene state. Akashi bowed to all four corners and then to Ace. Then she pantomimed drinking the chikara-mizu power water and throwing the cleansing salt. Once she was finished, she asked for the microphone and it was quickly handed to her.

"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!" She shouted in the air. The crowd responded with a mighty roar of their own. <Japan is a very proud nation.> Akashi began to speak in Japanese, much to the enthusiasm of the crowd. <We have time honored traditions and we learn to live lives that respect and honor ourselves as well as our families and reflect us in a positive light to all who we encounter.> Akashi quickly switched back to English. "Some would call our way of thinking antiquated, old fashioned and perhaps even abstruse." She said.

Akashi tilted her head as she wandered around the ring. "And we're not without our faults. We've been considered xenophobic and rigid, among other things. Perhaps we are to some extent." Akashi lamented. "But, I think we have come around. Our attitude is not so stiff that we would perceive slight at the smallest discourtesy. This is not the case at all." Akashi shook her head. "But, do we not have our own opinions of foreigners? Are we at fault as well of stereotyping those who are unfamiliar as well? I must say, with great shame, that I have been guilty of this myself." Akashi looked at Ace. "My roommate and best friend is from Canada. She is a great person. She's cheerful, humble, caring, determined and always there for those in need, often when it's the least convenient for her. In my naivety, I came to believe this was the way of all of her country women. Kind, helpful and always willing to step in. Her family, in kind, have also helped obfuscate me from the truth with their wisdom and enthusiasm for life. This is just not the case, however." Akashi said and pointed at Ace.

"Some of them go to great lengths to promulgate arrogance, greed and selfishness! Here, in this very ring, we have erected a monument to our willingness to accept our brothers and sisters and cast off those xenophobic shackles! The AFW is perhaps the single greatest melting pot in the world of sports. All nations, races and creeds can come together. Isn't the World Cup supposed to be a celebration? A friendly competition? Instead I have come to reclaim my honor that was taken from me when this woman offered me only humiliation!"

Akashi turned and looked at the camera. "Cassie-chan." She said in a soft tone, smiling. "I hope you're enjoying yourself. I hope you and your family can see this. Please forgive me. Tonight, the wrong Canadian is representing her sisters. Come home soon! And, I hope that you'll be able to set that aside and cheer for Japan just one night." Akashi bowed to the camera and threw her fist up in the air.

"NIIIIIPPOOOOOOOOOOON!" She screamed and tossed the microphone out of the ring and focused back on Ace. She lifted up her leg and slammed it down as hard as she could, letting the ring rattle before she picked up her other leg and slammed it down as well. She crouched low and stared at Ace, setting her knuckles against the canvas as she waited for the bell.

Ace watched as Akashi made her speech, her fist shaking as she got more irritated by the sumo's words. Had she fur, it would have been bristling.

"..L...Let me get this straight....I try to give you a gift, which was, I admit, a mistake. Now because of that, your writing me off as some greedy arrogant bitch, who should be considered a shame to her own country!? Well I'm sorry if I'm not some Paragon of Virtue like this precious "Cassie" girl!"

Ace yelled back, though she had no idea if Akashi had even heard her words, as the woman's speech had turned the entire crowd, even Ace's own fans, against her, resulting in a very loud chorus of boos to erupt from them as soon as the silver haired girl started speaking, further angering her.

"Just....Just ring the bell goddamn it."

She muttered, raising her arms and bouncing on her feet a bit as she stared at the crouched Akashi. All she had wanted was a friendly bout, instead she had unwillingly insulted Akashi, and Akashi had just willingly insulted Ace back and pissed her off as the bell rang to signal the start of the match.

Akashi did not even flinch when Ace spoke. She stared the silver haired girl down. When the bell was rang, Akashi sprinted forward, her tense muscles springing like a closing trap. She charged with all the force she could muster, screaming hoarsely into the air, unleashing her kiai shout.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!!"

As Akashi closed the distance, she threw out her hand, looking to start off the match with a hard and vicious sumo slap to the chest.

Ace recognized the stance from watching clips of previous Akashi matches and realized what was coming was the sumo's usual opening move, meant to intimidate opponents scared of a charging woman Akashi's size.

"Come on!"

A smarter fighter would sidestep, dodge, duck, do anything to avoid taking such a hard blow this early on in the match. But Ace had been insulted by her "honorable" opponent, and felt she had something to prove.

Out of either bravery or stupidity, Ace didn't run, instead sticking out her chest and taking a deep breath as Akashi's palm slapped onto Ace's chest, the force of the slap making the taller girls knees buckle and expel her air in a pained yelp. While the cloth didn't reveal it, there was certainly a bruise, probably palm shaped, on her chest. Ace's body turned with the slap as Akashi ran by, dropping to a knee and clutching at her chest, biting her lip to keep from crying out as Akashi ran past her.

Gritting her teeth, Ace pushed off the mat her hand, forcing herself back onto her feet as she lightly rubbed her chest. That had hurt all right, and would certainly sting for some time, but she wanted to be on her feet when Akashi turned around.

"...So...that's what that feels like..."

Akashi didn't stop when she crashed into Ace. She couldn't even if she wanted to and she certain;y didn't want to. She charged all the way to Ace's corner, grabbing the ropes to stop herself and whipping around to face Ace again. She grinned as Ace stood up but didn't waste any time with words. She charged right back at the silver haired girl and looked to put her back down to the ground with a hard clothesline.

Ace had time to see Akashi charge straight at her, allowing the faster girl the opportunity to drop down, avoiding the clothesline while kicking both feet out at Akashi's leg as she charged recklessly by, aiming to trip the sumo up if she was able.

Akashi swung hard when she was close to Ace but her arm sailed under the silver girl's head. Akashi growled, then grunted as she felt her legs being tripped up by Ace. She flopped to the ground and hit chest first, rolling onto her side and groaning.

Ace stood back up after the dropkick, smirking as she saw Akashi rolling. Her chest still stung, but it was manageable enough. Moving herself so that she was perpendicular with Akashi's body, Ace charged forward, aiming a hard soccer style kick to Akashi's stomach.


"Take this!"

Akashi was reeling from the trip but it was hardly a crippling assault. If she was going to let falling down stop her, then she didn't deserve the accolades she'd already achieved throughout her illustrious career. Unfortunately, as she pushed herself up to try and stand, it seemed Ace had a different idea. The kick came swifter than Akashi would have thought and as Ace's toe drove into Akashi's stomach, the Sumo's eyes widened and she flopped into her back, cradling her stomach in pain.

"S-Shit!"